The Feast of St. Luke

Today we celebrate the life of St. Luke, which might inspire many churches to have a healing service today (my church combines a healing service with a Service in Commemoration of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the late service; for a preview of the sermon for this service, go here). In doing some research, I discovered that St. Luke is also the founder of iconography. And of course, he was a writer--both of one of the Gospels and the book of Acts. A creator, an evangelist, and a healer--something for everyone to celebrate.

It would be cool to create a worship service that celebrates all of these aspects; I suspect most churches will focus on just one. Something to think about for future years.

For those who want some special readings for today, here's what the ELCA gives us:

First Reading: Isaiah 43:8-13
First Reading (Alt.): Isaiah 35:5-8
Psalm: Psalm 124
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4:5-11
Gospel: Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53

And for those who need a prayer for the feast day, here's what Phyllis Tickle gives us in The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime: "Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church this love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen."