THE GOSPEL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
“I have no one with me but Luke.” —2 Timothy 4:11
St. Luke never saw or heard Jesus, but he knew things about Him that even Jesus’ closest followers had not realized. This motivated Luke to write his Gospel and its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles. Luke epitomizes Jesus’ statement: “Blest are they who have not seen and have believed” (Jn 20:29). Although Luke had not seen Jesus, he knew Jesus more deeply than many of those who had walked and talked with Jesus (see 1 Pt 1:8).
The Holy Spirit gave Luke many special insights into the person of Jesus. Thus, many have called his Gospel the “Gospel of the Holy Spirit.” Likewise, his writing of the Acts of the Apostles displays the acts of the early Church through the power of the Spirit.
Luke shows us that it is better for us that Jesus ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:7). Life in the Spirit is the only way to intimacy with Jesus, “for the Spirit scrutinizes all matters, even the deep things of God” (1 Cor 2:10). The Spirit guides us to all truth (Jn 16:13), and Jesus is the Truth (Jn 14:6). “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except in the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3).
Receive the Holy Spirit. Know the heart of Jesus. Share the Good News of Jesus with a world ignorant of Him.
PRAYER: Father, may the depths of my relationship with Jesus impel me to share the good news.
PROMISE: “If there is a peaceable man there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.” –Lk 10:6
PRAISE: “I too have carefully traced the whole sequence of events from the beginning, and have decided to set it in writing for you, Theophilus” (Lk 1:3). Thank you, Holy Spirit, for the ministry of St. Luke!
