Today we celebrate the feast of St Luke. He was not one of the apostles and may only have come to know about Jesus after his death. But we are indebted to him for a very beautiful account of the life and mission of Jesus. His is a gospel full of the Spirit, full of gentleness and compassion. He alone has the parables of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan. But it is also a challenging gospel, indicating clearly that following Jesus has to be total and absolute while at the same time emphasising God's readiness to forgive our shortcomings. His is a gospel full of joy. In his gospel, too, we see Jesus praying at all the important moments in his life right up to his dying moments on the cross.

Today's Gospel taken from Luke reminds us that we are all called to carry on the mission of Jesus, by lives of material simplicity while bringing love and peace into people's lives. At the same time we are to be prepared for opposition and misunderstanding both from outside and inside our communities. Thank God for all those who have made this Gospel their own and have not hesitated to give their lives in making Jesus and his Way known to others. Can we follow in their footsteps?