Saint Luke, of course, is best known for contributing two major works to the New Testament: the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. In these works, we can see the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, along with his proclamation of the kingdom and the many graces he came to pour out on humankind, and also the life of the early Church, the first community as they strove to make the person and teachings of Jesus present to every creature on earth. Luke traveled with Saint Paul, and along the way interviewed many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and recorded them all meticulously.
Luke introduces his Gospel with these words: “Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.” The Acts of the Apostles is introduced similarly, and addressed to Theophilus as well. We don’t know who Theophilus was, but he appears to have been a convert to the Way, and may even have been a powerful person or a rich benefactor. But what’s interesting is his name: Theophilus, which translates roughly as a “lover of God.”
That makes these wonderful works accessible to all of us, who presumably are also lovers of God. We have been reading from Luke’s Gospel on most of the Sundays of this Liturgical Year, and I always love this cycle of readings. The third Gospel speaks to me in different ways than the others do, and it includes details, glimpses of Jesus that are particular to Luke alone.
“Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom,” the Psalmist says today. And that is very true of Saint Luke; we have much for which to be grateful to his faith, his preaching, and his meticulous investigation and recording.