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| “Saint Luke as a Painter before Christ on the Cross” by Francisco de Zurbarán, c. 1660 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 4:10-17b
Commentary on 2 Tm 4:10-17b
St. Paul, when this letter was written, is on his second missionary journey. Just before his martyrdom, he has run into significant opposition, and his companions, with the exception of “Luke” (believed to be the Evangelist) have deserted him. The Lord, however, through his divine assistance, has kept St. Paul’s mission alive and effective.
The Apostle mentions Demas. He was one of Paul's companions and had traveled with him for some time. Demas could not continue to endure Paul’s austere life-style and was afraid of the coming persecution. Here Paul says Demas he has deserted him (note: Luke was also mentioned in the Apostle’s earlier travels Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24). Similarly others in his party also left on various missions, leaving only St. Luke the Evangelist with him.
“St. Paul
CCC: 2 Tm 4 2015
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Commentary on Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise. These strophes call on the faithful to give thanks to God for opening the gates of his Heavenly Kingdom. The psalmist (David) rejoices in the image of God’s Heavenly Kingdom, as its very existence announces God’s glory to the world. They continue praising God for his justice, and his creating hand. God in turn supports his faithful servants and blesses their efforts.
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Gospel: Luke 10:1-9
Commentary on Lk 10:1-9
It is only in the Gospel of St. Luke that we hear the story of Jesus sending the seventy (two). This event is supported by other non-biblical writings (see Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 265-c. 340) Church History, Book. 1). The instructions given to those sent out are very similar to the instructions given to the Twelve, as was the message they were sent to proclaim.
This selection emphasizes Jesus' early struggle to accomplish what he came to do by himself. We sense the humanness as he says: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." We also find this event and statement in St. Matthew’s Gospel where instead of the 72 he names the 12 (Matthew 10:1-8). While in St. Matthew’s story Jesus sends them first to the Hebrew people, St. Luke makes no such distinction.
This effort by Jesus was modeled on Moses’ leadership structure in which 70 elders were appointed (Numbers 11:24-25). It is also possible that the reference number 70 relates to the number of nations mentioned in Genesis 10. The disciples were sent two by two, a custom that would be replicated later in the post-resurrection missionary activities of the Church (see Acts 8:14; 15:39-40).
In another historical similarity, the disciples were sent without possessions, presumably depending upon the traditionally required hospitality for their support. Similar instructions were given by the Prophet Elisha as he sent his servant in 2 Kings 4:29.
The Lord’s instructions concerning this hospitality “…laborer deserves payment” is also quoted in St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:18b) and has further support in 1 Corinthians 9:7, 14. Those who labor on behalf of the Gospel and cannot take time to support themselves deserve the support of the community. In a final twist, the Lord’s instruction to “…eat what is set before you” sets aside Mosaic dietary laws (also 1 Corinthians 10:27 and Acts 10:25). It is a clear indication that the scope of their mission is to call all peoples to the Gospel.
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Reflection:
It is interesting that when one searches for religious art depicting Saint Luke, many of the great Renaissance Artists show him painting the Virgin Mary. Without doing any research into the reasons for this, we must assume it is because of the first chapter of his Gospel, wherein the evangelist relates the wonderful Canticle of Mary which, with words, paints a picture of Our Lady’s heart and soul.
It is certainly just and fitting that we should dedicate a feast to the author of the Gospel of St. Luke and its companion, Acts of the Apostles. His efforts have provided us with not only with a portrait of the life of Christ, but also of the message taken into the world by the Apostles. The Acts of the Apostles essentially relates how the Holy Spirit, our guide and Advocate, operated to make sure God’s message did not die with His Only Begotten Son upon the cross.
We reflect today upon the difficulty of doing what St. Luke did. In order for him to have created such an inspired work, he must have spent hours in prayer, asking for the guidance that was given to his hand as he penned the words we proclaim. His chronology of the Lord’s life must have been taken from many sources, since he could not have been with the Magi or the Shepherds at the Lord’s birth. Nor is it likely he was staying with Elizabeth when her cousin, St. Mary, came to stay with her while she herself was carrying the unborn St. John the Baptist.
The pieces we get from Sacred Scripture today are not just a story related, but a set of examples left for us. It was intended to provide both an example and encouragement, telling us that the mission of Christ was not completed, even with the Apostle’s great works of evangelization. We too are called to take that message, learned from the Gospels, into the world.
Today, as we face the growing challenge of Secular Humanism fueled by the ongoing war for the hearts and minds of God’s people by the powerful and greedy, our voices are needed. We must become like the seventy (two), sent by the Lord into the world to provide a message of hope. The secular message is so compelling. It is like a large rock rolling downhill. No effort is required. It will just roll, propelled by gravity, until it hits the bottom. We are called to place our hands on the boulder and try to stop it. We must stop it, because whether they know it or not, those who compose that boulder will find the bottom to be the pit of despair.
Today, the Church calls to its people in a New Evangelization. We are called to seek the lost and reach out to the fallen, as Luke reminds us that the Lord did. Can we not be energized on this day, as we memorialize one of the Gospel authors, asking for his prayers on our behalf?
Pax
In other Years: Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
[1] The picture is “Saint Luke as a Painter before Christ on the Cross” by Francisco de Zurbarán, c. 1660
[4] Letters of St. Paul , The Navarre Bible, Four Courts Press, 2003 pp. 606
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