The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist.

"At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it." (2 Timothy 4: 16 - 17).

Monday 18th October 2021, in the 29th Week in Ordinary Time.
Today, the universal Church celebrates the feast of St Luke the Evangelist and rejoices in his gift to the Church.

Who is Luke? "A physician from Antioch, he converted to Christianity and accompanied Paul on two of his missionary journeys. He is the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke devotes attention to Christ's birth and childhood as well as to the universality of Redemption." (Roman Missal).
St Luke is the patron saint of physicians and artists.

When I first became acquainted with our key Scripture, I was in the midst of a struggle in a corporate company. What struck me was this sentence. "But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength."  I was storming heaven with prayers.  I received strength and encouragement from Jesus.  Since then, I have grown a bit in experience of the word of God and spirituality.

I have learned and I believe that Jesus strengthens us in our tribulations and struggles. The Scripture provides consolations and counsels:

#1. Do not put your trust in princes or any mortal man.
#2. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and mind and not in your experience, knowledge, contacts. Only God can stand by you come what may.

Jesus inside you and me is the hope of glory. There is nothing we cannot do because of Jesus who strengthens us from the inside. Call it INSIDE JOB. Jesus promises us:
"I will never leave you nor forsake you." I don't know about you but these proven promises make my heart palpitate with joy.

"Let every priest present himself as a friend of Jesus, and his ministry will soon take on the efficacy and fruitfulness that characterized that of Saint John, of Saint Paul, and of My first apostles. The friend speaks with the authority that only experience can confer." (IN SINU JESU, March 30, 2008 Sunday of Divine Mercy).

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