October 18^th is the day the church remembers St. Luke, the Evangelist.  Some churches hold a Service of Health and Healing remembering that Luke was a Gentile physician.  He was a follower of Jesus but not one of the 12 disciples.  He was a companion of Paul, participating on some of his mission travels.  The Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are attributed to him.  More than one-third of the New Testament comes from the hand of the evangelist Luke.  Tradition says that he was one of the seventy commissioned by Jesus.  Some think that he may have been the other disciple with Cleopas whom Jesus met on the road to Emmaus that first Easter evening.  Tradition also says he was a painter, that he preached in Bithynia (in what is now northern Turkey bordering the Black Sea), and that he died at the age of 84 in Boetia (northeastern ancient Greece).

Luke’s symbol is a winged ox.

Though we don’t know much about Luke we do know, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  We also know, “What man of you having a hundred sheep, if he loses one…” or “A certain man had two sons…” or “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves.”  Our faith would be less sweetened had Luke not recorded Jesus’ life for Theophilus.

 Almighty God, you inspired your servant Luke the physician to reveal in his gospel the love and healing power of your Son.  Give your church the same love and power to heal, to the glory of your Name; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.