Jesus for Modern Times!

Friday, October 18, 2024

Feast of St. Luke!

2 Tim 4:10-17b; Lk 10:1-9

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Luke, evangelist. 

Why should we celebrate St. Luke? I like to answer the question from my experience. 

As part of my doctoral program, I was blessed to teach the undergrads at Boston College, my alma mater, for two semesters. Teaching ‘Engaging Catholicism’ in an American classroom was unique and fascinating in many ways.

The youngsters I met with in the class came from different walks of life as far as their religious upbringing was concerned. Some were raised Catholic; others represented Baptist, Methodist, and Mennonite Churches. Those who had no religious affiliation whatsoever preferred to call themselves ‘Spiritual But Not Religious’ (SBNR).

While talking to these students from varied religious backgrounds, I asked them what they knew and liked about the Bible. 

To my surprise, though they could not remember which book the parables were from, they could name only a couple of parables like the Good Samaritan and the Parable of the Prodigal Son. 

Except for a handful, no one remembered anything beyond these two. 

When I asked why they liked these two parables particularly, they cited virtues like compassion, love, forgiveness, inclusion, etc.

Surprisingly, both parables are unique to the Gospel of Luke, whose feast we celebrate today. 

It is then that I understood that the name of Jesus is popular among the youth belonging to any religion thanks to Luke’s representation of Jesus. 

If not for Luke, the human face of Jesus would not have been popular among the youth. 

If not for Luke, they would not have known God as merciful, compassionate, loving, and inclusive. 

If not for Luke, youngsters would not have known Jesus, whose preferential option was for women, children, and the marginalized. 

I came to appreciate Luke more for his compelling portrayal of a human Jesus to the modern youth. 

We praise God for inspiring Luke to present Jesus as the champion of the marginalized and downtrodden. 

Any reader of Luke’s Gospel will certainly appreciate the human face of God in Jesus. 

Luke’s Jesus will continue to have relevance in modern times, as they are beset with the very evils that Jesus redeemed people from in his time. 

Let us pray that we may come to appreciate the Lukan Jesus to replicate him in our lives. 

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar