Saturday 18 October 2014

Background

Today is designated the Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, sowhy are we reading Paul's second letter to Timothy? And why do wehear a great deal about Paul and so little about Luke?

As we grow older we tend to think back on life and appreciatesome of the people who have influenced us and been part of ourjourney. Here Paul is summing up his life, clearly understandingthat the end may not be far off and he needs to make some kind ofrecord of those who have helped him along the way. Timothy himselfwas one of those people. Paul had known him since he was a child,had taken him on some of his journeys and had mentored him andwatched him grow into a leader in the church. He thought veryhighly of Timothy. So Paul sums up his own life with the familiarwords, 'I have finished the race. I have kept the faith,' and thengoes on to commend certain people to Timothy. Among them isLuke.

We know Luke for his Gospel and his authorship of the book ofActs, but at this point Paul is commending him - in five words -for his faithful companionship and for the care he has given ontheir journeys. "Only Luke is with me," he says (v. 11), but thosewords say a great deal. Others may have left, but Luke intended tobe faithful to Paul. He had travelled with him before, but he wasalso with him on the journey to Rome that would lead to Paul'sdeath. In Colossians 4:14, Luke is described as a doctor.And Paul also refers to Luke as a "fellow-worker" in verse24 of Philemon.

This information on him seems very sparse, but Paul clearlyvalued Luke. Add our knowledge of him as a writer and there isevery reason to give thanks and celebrate such a caring,hard-working servant of God. Paul did.

To Ponder

• Who are the people who have accompanied you on your journey offaith and how did they help?

• Why do you think we should celebrate saint's days?

• Who would you celebrate as someone who has been a saint in yourlife?