10/08/2021 – St. Luke

Today is the feast of St Luke. It is tradition that St Luke knew the Blessed Mother. It is he who in his gospel, tells the stories that we ponder in the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Who else could have told him of the Virgin Mary’s encounter with the Archangel Gabriel except Mary herself. Also, the very detailed description of her visit to Elizabeth and Zachary, of the birth of St John, of the Nativity of Jesus in Bethlehem, the homage of shepherds and kings.

The Presentation in the Temple and the prophetic and heartrending words of Simeon and the praise of the widow Anna. All of these episodes of Jesus’ earthly life must have been drawn from Mary.

Imagine Luke sitting quietly transfixed by these glimpses of Jesus through Mary and absorbing every word of Mary.

And what of the Sorrow of losing Jesus for three days, from his account it is easy to see that Luke was deeply affected by the pain Mary and Joseph suffered. And in the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, Luke faithfully records the exchange between Jesus and Mary as they ask each other “Why?”….. but they seem to accept it even though they don’t understand.

The rosary has been called the “School of Mary” and it would seem that St Luke was possibly her first student. As such St Luke was the first to reveal to the world the heart of Mary as he tells us more than once that she kept all that her Divine Son said and did in her heart.

Courtesy of 1 in 10 Rosary Mission Ireland

Don’t forget – 9pm is Rosary for Ireland on Radio Maria