St. Luke, Evangelist, Tuesday – 18th October 2022 — Gospel: Lk 10,1-9
Witness to Communion and Teamwork
Luke was born in Syria and trained as a physician. He was also one of the most extensive writers of the New Testament (Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles). He was one of the seventy-two and worked with Paul, traveling to Rome and converting Jews and Pagans to Christianity. He was also with Paul during several of his confinements. Luke is also credited with being a prolific painter, creating many works of Mary and Jesus.
Discourse to the seventy/seventy-two is found only in the Gospel of Luke. The number seventy-two seems to have their origin to the list of nations in Gen 10, where the Hebrew text lists seventy nations and the Septuagint lists seventy-two. It may also recall Moses’ appointment of seventy elders to help him (Ex 24,1; Num 11,16.24). Therefore, the commissioning of the seventy-two foreshadows the mission of the Church to the nations (Lk 24,27). Jesus had sent the seventy-two strategically, for he was concerned not only about those who would be reached out by the seventy-two but also the seventy-two themselves. The two working together had the opportunity to witness to the communion to which they belonged, namely to the body of Christ. At the same time, they also had the opportunity to provide a witness of their teamwork.
