Oct 18 Luke

Thommy and John

Good morning
I love you


October 18 Saint Luke

Saint Luke should start you thinking about Sister Luke. [I still don’t get the giving of new names to nuns – especially male names. Well, I can tell you the rationale but, well, to each her own.]
When we were ready for starting John in kindergarten, your mother and I agreed on Overbrook. The good Dominican sisters. Just walking through the school you knew it was a Catholic school. Plus, there were few lay teachers – this convent takes good care of its own schools. St Henry’s was also led by the Dominican sisters; i.e., the principal and a few penguins to seed the Catholicism – maybe to make the car ride economical with a full boat each trip? We chose Overbrook, and the extra about $8,000/year, because the turnover and parish turmoil at St Henry for the preceding few years just made the school down the road a tad more attractive.
We brought both of you to the school for the ‘interview’ and ‘evaluation’. I believe that the parents and our wallets are more the function of the process than assessing whether you were ready for school. But, hey, what do I know? The Pre-Ks were assessed first. Thommy was a whirlwind of energy, enthusiasm, social panache - - there was no saying no to wanting Thommy in the school. About a week or so later, the Kindergarteners were assessed. John was a reserved, take it all in before jumping, more a solo act at the time. Maybe a good fit for Overbrook or not. Of course, both of you would be going to the same school – and St Henry was an excellent fall back plan. The call about accepting Thommy came. I told them that we appreciated the offer and that I’d wait to hear about the decision about John. A week or so later, the call accepting John came. We agreed to send John. There never was any intention of Thommy’s going to pre-K at Overbrook; they required a full day and one of the reasons I was home full time was to be with my preschool children – sending Thommy off to school all day, even for parts of the week, just wasn’t going to happen. John’s acceptance paved the way for both of you attending the school. [or was it Thommy’s being accepted that made that happen?]
Sr Luke is one of the best kindergarten teachers in the universe, hands down, bar none! That, and she’s a saint! Smarter than the average bear! And genuinely a kind and caring person. In a very practical way, also a holy and prayerful person. I cannot say enough praise and thanksgiving for and to her! So, I remember her on her feast day – with prayers, an extra good work, and a donation to the Dominican Sisters of St Cecelia. You should too.
Each of you had fantabulous kindergarten years – because of who you are; because of Sr Luke; and because of your classmates. [and I got to be a class parent – the first man with such a role. That’s a kick and a hoot! Beware grammar school (any school actually) it is meant to be the domain of women. Check it out. Teachers? Even administrators, certainly administrative staff? And all the volunteers? Find any men? You had one man teacher at Overbrook. [and one at STX, too] oremus.





Luke, the writer of the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, has been identified with St. Paul's "Luke, the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14).
If I were to redo a consideration of a career in healthcare, I’d have gotten the M.D. ticket. I should have gotten my license. So, there are two things to learn from my mistakes – as identified in hindsight today. When you see the career path you’re called to take, take the time to be sure you pursue the right role, the right credential. Also, if there’s ever a license to be had along the way, get it, keep it, add to it the accoutrements of the guild. And if any of them involve a test, take the test at the earliest possible time, don’t put it off until later – later you’re not as smart, are less likely to want to prepare, and have less time [ besides, the longer you put this off, the greater the opportunity cost.]

We believe that Luke was born a Greek and a Gentile. Pedigree does matter. You were born Irish/American and a Catholic. Born, bred actually, as a sine qua non of my agreeing with your mother to have children, truly as a precondition of marriage [or, in our case, a wedding]. Promised, vowed, signed a legal agreement to raise you Catholic – oh well, none of these were sufficient for her delivering. However, the seed was planted at conception – literally  ? – and ratified at baptism and sealed at confirmation.

Luke, author of the Gospel and Acts. A person writes for many reasons – and many authors don’t even tell us why they write. And when we read – do we not want to know the writer, to try to figure out from the writings about the person. E.g., I feel like I know Andrew Greeley. Maybe you will learn about me as you read along? [although, that is one of the reasons I write.]
Luke's gospel shows special sensitivity to evangelizing Gentiles. It is only in his gospel that we hear the parable of the Good Samaritan, that we hear Jesus praising the faith of Gentiles such as the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian (Lk.4:25-27), and that we hear the story of the one grateful leper who is a Samaritan (Lk.17:11-19). According to the early Church historian Eusebius Luke was born at Antioch in Syria.
A prophet among his own kind? In his home territory? After evangelizing yourself, your family, your children in particular – for that’s why God makes us parent/father, what community will you especially serve? Me, it’s been children and the institutions that serve them. As a ten year old, I coached baseball. Tutoring and babysitting were on my resume before I went to high school. There was Berkshire Farm for Boys from the novitiate. Ridgecrest children’s Center and the Early Childhood Daycare Center at UA. And as you two came along, there was the Vanderbilt Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Hospital, a joint venture of Vanderbilt University and HCA. And today, I’m the leader of a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital. Not to mention my volunteering at church and community – mostly to teach or to offer my time talent and treasure from the Board. And you?
Luke the physician. Probably born a slave. An educated slave fersure. To serve his family and the community of slaves. And to rise up beyond that niche. He probably had little choice at the beginning – re: what he got to do, what he was expected to do. And then, like you now, adulthood beckoned and more opportunities to take initiative and not be so dependent. To discern. To find and follow your vocation…. From slave to physician to evangelist! And you?


Luke’s autobiographical entries into Acts tell us nothing about his conversion. I’m a bit leery of conversion. I would not consider being anything but Catholic. Veritas Splendor! I’ve also encountered some people along the way, including your mother, who have involved me in their conversion journey. And I have been a part yet remained apart from such efforts. I’m not a proselytizer. And I do not see myself as a conduit of the Spirit; nor much of a model to emulate. Alas, others do. Faith is at the core of my being. And more often than not I’m doing what I know to be right and good – for the right reasons. It usually works for me. It sometimes is lagniappe for others.
Certainly, Luke’s conversion, via his relationship with Paul, it seems, obviously stuck. Some how, some way, be re-united with your faith, the essence of our faith – Jesus, God, Creator, Redeemer, Paraclete. Oro pro vobis. Luke first joined Paul's company at Troas at about the year 51 and accompanied him into Macedonia where they traveled first to Samothrace, Neapolis, and finally Philippi. Knowing our history helps; getting to know well the people of our history as well as the places and events also helps.
When Paul left Philippi, Luke stayed behind to encourage the Church there. Luke left Philippi to rejoin Paul in Troas in 58. They traveled together through Miletus, Tyre, Caesarea, to Jerusalem. Try being a pilgrim for a while. Travel to our shrines – revisit the basilica at Notre Dame, or head on over to the original Notre Dame. Find a Paul to join you on your quest for your relationship with God. [see the sidebar story about the Pilgrim in Franny and Zooey.]
Luke is the loyal comrade who stays with Paul when he is imprisoned in Rome about the year 61. And after everyone else deserts Paul in his final imprisonment and sufferings, it is Luke who remains with Paul to the end: "Only Luke is with me.” Find a friend like Luke. Be a friend like Luke. Dedicate yourself, devote yourself, via Jesu, to another person. A H.S. Sullivan chum. A friend like on Friends. Ultimately, if it’s your vocation, your spouse. Practice such personal osmosis and intimacy and oneness on the little things and with the unconditional connection with God – Dance Dance with the Lord of the Dance. With that foundation, you will be a Luke, you will become the spouse your wife will want and need.

Luke's unique perspective on Jesus can be seen in the six miracles and eighteen parables not found in the other gospels. Luke's is the gospel of the poor and of social justice. He is the one who tells the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man who ignored him. Luke is the one who uses "Blessed are the poor" instead of "Blessed are the poor in spirit" in the beatitudes. Only in Luke's gospel do we hear Mary 's Magnificat where she proclaims that God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:52-53).
Each of us has a unique relationship with Jesus. Thus a unique perspective. One Body – one view, one soul of church and unity with God. The uniqueness is not in an idiosyncratic God. Veritas Splendor. The uniqueness lies in us as we embrace the Truth – the Way the Truth and the Light. And the uniqueness does not lie in our defining who God is; the uniqueness is how we receive God’s grace and come to Him.

Luke also has a special connection with the women in Jesus' life, especially Mary. It is only in Luke's gospel that we hear the story of the Annunciation, Mary's visit to Elizabeth including the Magnificat, the Presentation, and the story of Jesus' disappearance in Jerusalem. It is Luke that we have to thank for the Scriptural parts of the Hail Mary: "Hail Mary full of grace" spoken at the Annunciation and "Blessed are you and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus" spoken by her cousin Elizabeth.
Andrew Greeley recently published a book about the women in Jesus’ life – or, better, Jesus’ relationship with women. Try it. Or, try Luke’s take on how Jesus did and we should relate to women. How we should see them; hear them; listen to them; respect them; become one with them. Women are different. And we must be different with women if we are to figure out how to become one with them. Take your own journey through the Gospels and meet the women there; wwjd? I suggest you write your own diary, your own gospel, for your relating with women. Be reflective. Talk about it. Pray about that too. As natural as it may be, the more important it is the better you will be if you put it in the context of faith and love and hope. Good luck.

Forgiveness and God's mercy to sinners is also of first importance to Luke. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the Prodigal Son welcomed back by the overjoyed father. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the forgiven woman disrupting the feast by washing Jesus' feet with her tears. Throughout Luke's gospel, Jesus takes the side of the sinner who wants to return to God's mercy.
Reading Luke's gospel gives a good idea of his character as one who loved the poor, who wanted the door to God's kingdom opened to all, who respected women, and who saw hope in God's mercy for everyone.
‘also of first importance’? more than one first? Oh well….
I’m sorry. I forgive you. Can’t have one without the other. And the proffering of I’m sorry, obligates the recipient to offer, give unequivocally, I forgive you. You practiced that with each other always around me. I pray you have brought this fundamental dialogue of humanness into your other relationships, especially with yourself.


The reports of Luke's life after Paul's death are conflicting. But can you imagine how desolate he must have been? Sure we have the resurrection. Of course we know our loved one is always with us, a part of us, around watching over us from heaven. And yet…. The story of Luke after Paul must have included periods of desolate agony.

St. Luke its always represented by the calf or ox, the sacrificial animal, because his Gospel begins with the account of Zachary, the priest, the father of John the Baptist. Do you remember the other three symbols of the evangelists?