By Fr. Joy Prakash, OFM –
This passage mentions Luke’s name: “Luke is the only one with me.” In Col 4:14, Luke is called “the beloved physician.” Tradition tells us that this physician wrote Luke/Acts, all 52 chapters of them, and was also an artist. As you read Luke’s Gospel, you see how artistic it is. He pairs Mary and Elizabeth in Chapter 1; both of them sing God’s praises. Luke balances two calls of disciples: the Twelve in Chapter 9 and the 72 in the next chapter.
In the heart of his Gospel, Luke employs the protean image of a journey: On his journey to Jerusalem and exodus by which he offers liberation, Jesus instructs by his example and his teaching his disciples who are on the way. Tradition says that Luke was an artist. I would claim that he wasn’t an artist with brush and paints. Rather, he painted with words and was very successful.
What would our Christmas season be without his paintings of the annunciation to Mary, Jesus lying in a feeding trough, angels and shepherds? What would our Sunday school classes and homilies be without the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son? What would our Holy Weeks be without the Lukan Jesus’ words from the cross, “Father, forgive them since they do not know what they are doing” (23:34)? Remember the many paintings of Pentecost and Paul’s conversion?
Tradition tells us that Luke was also a physician and knew the misery of human suffering. Maybe that’s why he depicts Jesus, Peter, and Paul as healing many. Luke also had a sense of humour. Acts 20:7-12 tells how Paul preached until midnight. Eutychus fell asleep, fell out the window to his death. Paul restored him to life and then went back upstairs to preach. Luke was not an apostle, but a helper and a powerful evangelist.
Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. His character can be seen in a number of subtitles:
1) The Gospel of Mercy: Luke emphasizes Jesus’ compassion and patience with the sinners and the suffering. He has a broadminded openness to all: showing concern for Samaritans, lepers, publicans, soldiers, public sinners, unlettered shepherds, the poor. Lk alone records the stories of the sinful woman, the lost sheep and coin, the prodigal son, and the good thief.
2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation: Jesus died for all. He is the son of Adam, not just of David, and the Gentiles are his friends too.
3) The Gospel of the Poor: “Little People” are prominent – Zachariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, Shepherds, Simeon and the elderly widow, Anna. He is concerned with what we now call “evangelical poverty”.
4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation. He stresses the need for total dedication to Christ.
5) The Gospel of prayer and the Holy Spirit: He shows Jesus at prayer before very important step of his ministry. The Spirit bringing the church to its final perfection.
6) The Gospel of love: Luke succeeds in portraying the joy of salvation that permeated the primitive church.