St. Luke the Evangelist came from the Hellenistic city of Antioch in Syria. He is believed to be both a physician and a disciple of St. Paul. Luke wrote the third gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles. He has long been a special patron of those working in the medical and healing professions.
An emergency room event or hospital stay, even a visit to a medical office can bring worry and stress to both patient and family. The careful diagnosis and treatment provided by physicians and nurses, pastoral care chaplains and other medical professionals carry us through such events with confidence and grace. Today’s feast of St. Luke offers a reminder to bless God for the gift of good health. It also reminds us to pray for the talented and generous medical professionals who care for both body and spirit, patients and families, in times of need. Thanks to their good work, “the reign of God is at hand.”
—The Jesuit Prayer Team