*18th of October 2022*

*Tuesday in the 29th week of Ordinary Time, Year 11*

_(St. Luke the Evangelist)_

_2Tim. 4:9-17_

_Lk. 10:1-9_

*Wisdom is vindicated by her children*(Luke the Evangelist).

The Church today celebrates the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the writer of the third gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He is the only Gentile to have written books in the scripture. He never met Christ in person but came to know him through the narratives of an eye witness to the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. By occupation, he was a physician and travelled with Paul on his second missionary journey. He known to be the Patron saint of Artist and doctors. 

The responsorial Psalm of the reading of today says "Your friends Oh Lord, shall make known the glorious splendour of your name." This was expressed in the life of St. Luke who showed how trusted a friend he was to Paul in his (Paul) confinement for preaching Christ. Luke brought comfort to Paul and continued bringing comfort to others through his spread of the gospel.

In the gospel, we saw Christ sending out the seventy two to continue preaching the gospel and making known the splendour of God's name.

Friends, as we celebrate Luke today, we are in a very special way drawn to his gospel which could be termed 'a gospel of mercy'. In his gospel we find Christ bringing solace to the downcast in body and soul. We all know that the four gospels have their symbols represented by an animal. That of Luke is an Ox, this animal is known to be strong enough to carry burdens. Luke's gospel presents Christ as our burden bearer, who has come to take our sorrows away. 

•In the gospel of today, Christ sends out in pairs. By doing this, he wants not just the efficiency of the gospel, but that those called may also bear testimony the loving nature of God expressed in their communion. Team work must be a major feature of the body of Christ, the Church.

•Today, we are also reminded to keep working for the growth of kingdom. The call of the seventy two today is a call that incorporates each one of us. Bear it in mind that the harvest is still very plentiful just as it was in the time of Jesus. Luke through his works present the acts of Jesus(in the gospel), and that of the early Church(in Acts of the Apostles). We can as well add our own Acts.

*May St. Luke pray for us*

(Fr. Camillus Nwaigwe)