One of the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels
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Enjoy this sermon from The Rev. Ryan Fleenor on June 21, 2026 - The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost. Join us each Sunday this Summer for our Summer Preaching Series on the Pslams, and read along with us, 2 Psalms a day, until we've read all 150 by the end of Summer! Click here for the schedule. For more information on Saint Luke's Parish, please visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Enjoy this sermon from our Youth Preacher Caroline Ward on June 14, 2026 - Youth and Graduating Senior Sunday. For more information on Saint Luke's Parish, please visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Enjoy this sermon from The Reverend Hartwell Hylton on June 7, 2026 - The Feast of Corpus Christi. For more information on Saint Luke's and sermons from other Sundays, please visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Samantha Rux joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the patient transportation program. OSF HealthCare St. Luke's continues to address barriers to local healthcare through its patient transportation program. Launched after a 2019 community health assessment revealed transportation as a major barrier, the hospital's van service shuttles patients to and from medical appointments free of charge. Funded entirely through donations and events like today's annual golf outing at Midland Golf Club, the program has improved outcomes by ensuring patients can attend regular appointments, which is especially vital for those with injuries or no other means of transportation. For more details, patients can contact their healthcare provider or check with the scheduling team when scheduling an appointment. The hospital also hosts bi-monthly local blood drives. The next blood drive is on June 4, 2026, from 7 AM to 5 PM—find details at bloodcenter.org. To find more blood drives in the area, visit bloodcenter.org and search zip code 61443.
Enjoy this sermon from The Reverend Ryan Fleenor on May 31, 2026 - Trinity Sunday. For more information on Saint Luke's and sermons from other Sundays, please visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
In this Sermon, preached on June 29, 2025, Fr. Blackburn speaks about the obstacles that present themselves when we make firm our resolve to follow Jesus.The text for the sermon is from the Gospel according to Saint Luke, the 9th chapter, beginning at the 51st and continuing through 62nd verse.
This week Steve and Marc are joined by comedian and Only an Excuse? creator & writer Phil Differ. Phil discusses his start in television and working with the legendary Rikki Fulton as a writer on Scotch & Wry, coming up with the idea for Only An Excuse? and his experiences writing what became the iconic Scottish Hogmanay staple. Plus, he recounts being on the receiving end of a wind-up by former Rangers and Scotland boss Walter Smith, what meeting Native American tribes taught him about cultural myths, and he recounts writing what has become the most iconic Frank McAvennie sketch."40 Years of Only an Excuse?" is broadcast at 5PM on Saturday 6th June, and will be available to listen to on BBC Sounds afterwards: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002xg29See Stuart at Saint Luke's in Glasgow on 28th May: https://linktr.ee/StuartMcPSee Marc's upcoming shows in Glasgow, London, Dundee & Edinburgh: https://www.marcjenningscomedy.com/liveSign up to our Patreon for fortnightly bonus eps plus footage from all the Some Laugh Live shows: https://www.patreon.com/somelaughSome Laugh Merch Available Now: https://visualanticsapparel.com/collections/some-laugh-podcastYou can watch the boays' stand-up specials for free here on the Some Laugh YouTube channel : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM6lKn8dnMK5bOtlX-3XlCpZSf-B_qweQ&si=JjKknRTZvvza5l55 Stand-Up Tickets:Marc: https://linktr.ee/MarcJenkoStu: https://linktr.ee/StuartMcPSteve: https://linktr.ee/stephenbuchanan
Hear the sermon from The Reverend Hannah Pommersheim on May 24, 2026, 2026 - the Day of Pentecost. For more information on Saint Luke's and sermons from other Sundays, please visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Dr. Daphne Bascom earned a DPhil/PhD in physiological sciences at the University of Oxford, a medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh, and completed fellowship training in microvascular and reconstructive surgery of the head and neck at Oregon Health Sciences University. She has more than two decades of executive leadership across health systems, health technology, and community health. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Population Health at Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City. So, how and why did she leave all of that to pursue lifestyle medicine, a “vegetable-forward” way of life, and a completely different kind of care? As we've heard from many of our guests, for Dr. Bascom, it was personal. Between witnessing her mother's long and arduous struggle with COPD and helping her father navigate the healthcare system, she recognized that despite her many years of training, her work as a surgeon, and her leadership, she still wasn't doing the work that got her into medicine in the first place. She wanted to help people be healthy. Period. That deep calling led her to become the Chief Operating Officer of The Vegan Gym, a global digital health platform dedicated to plant-based performance, healthspan, and longevity. She now hosts the Thrive on Plants podcast and is the Founder of The Longevity Lab. As a lifelong believer in equity and inclusion, Dr. Bascom works hard to ensure that this information is accessible to all people, and much of the education she puts together on these topics is available for free on her YouTube channel, @TheVeganGym.
The boays are back this week to discuss their recent night out watching John Mulaney, Marc recounts being lured into a restaurant by some dubious advertising, and Steve reminisces about going to Pizza Hut birthday parties as a kid, which leads to a discussion of whether anything in adult life can cause as much excitement.See Stuart at Saint Luke's in Glasgow on 28th May: https://linktr.ee/StuartMcPSee Marc's upcoming shows in Glasgow, London, Dundee & Edinburgh: https://www.marcjenningscomedy.com/liveSign up to our Patreon for fortnightly bonus eps plus footage from all the Some Laugh Live shows: https://www.patreon.com/somelaughSome Laugh Merch Available Now: https://visualanticsapparel.com/collections/some-laugh-podcastYou can watch the boays' stand-up specials for free here on the Some Laugh YouTube channel : https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM6lKn8dnMK5bOtlX-3XlCpZSf-B_qweQ&si=JjKknRTZvvza5l55 Stand-Up Tickets:Marc: https://linktr.ee/MarcJenkoStu: https://linktr.ee/StuartMcPSteve: https://linktr.ee/stephenbuchanan
Hear the sermon from Seminarian Misty Krasawski on May 17, 2026 - a family worship service where the sermon is tailored for our youngest parishioners and where children take part in the service by reading and serving in worship. For more information on Saint Luke's and sermons from other Sundays, please visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Samantha Rux and Blaine Clarke joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about upgrades at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center, making OSF HealthCare a medical "destination," and the upcoming Golf Classic to support the OSF Saint Luke public transportation system. OSF HealthCare is wrapping up a week of celebrations honoring nurses and healthcare workers, marked by special events including theme days, food trucks, and the annual Daisy and Sunflower Awards. The focus shifts now to investments in technology and local care access through the Destination OSF initiative. Recent upgrades include a new MRI and DEXA machine at St. Luke's, quicker lab services, and advanced breast imaging in Galesburg. General surgical services have expanded locally, reducing the need to travel for procedures. OSF encourages residents to explore care options closer to home as community hospitals grow their capabilities.
A physician's career path is rarely linear and the influences shaping it are seldom predictable. Few understand this better than Andrew Sauer, MD. In this episode of Moving the Needle in Medicine, host Alexander Hajduczok, MD, a cardiologist and heart failure specialist at Oklahoma Heart Institute, sits down with Sauer, director of the Haverty Family Cardiometabolic Center and co-director of the Cardiovascular Research & Clinical Scholars Program at Saint Luke's Health System.The conversation begins with Sauer reflecting on the formative influences that shaped his path from a rural Midwestern upbringing to a career in advanced heart failure, transplant medicine, and clinical research. Sauer emphasizes the role of early-life adversity, including frequent relocation, blue-collar work, and exposure to hardship, in cultivating resilience and adaptability, traits he identifies as foundational to navigating the demands of medical training and leadership. The sudden cardiac death of his grandfather amid perceived gaps in care, a pivotal moment in his youth, served as a defining motivation to pursue medicine and improve outcomes for underserved patients with cardiometabolic disease.Sauer traces his clinical development through key training experiences at the University of Rochester, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Northwestern University, where he ultimately shifted focus from electrophysiology to advanced heart failure and mechanical circulatory support. He highlights a uniquely challenging fellowship period marked by limited institutional resources, which accelerated his clinical independence and prepared him for early leadership roles. This culminated in a high-risk but transformative decision to cofound a heart failure, LVAD, and transplant program in Kansas, emphasizing the importance of strategic risk-taking, team-based trust, and addressing geographic disparities in access to advanced therapies.The discussion then turns to Sauer's role in pioneering remote hemodynamic monitoring in his region, particularly through early adoption of CardioMEMS technology and leadership in the GUIDE-HF trial. He underscores how identifying “blue ocean” opportunities - areas of unmet need with limited competition - enabled both clinical innovation and academic visibility. This experience catalyzed his transition toward a more research-focused career.Sauer also offers an in-depth perspective on mentorship, advocating for a diversified, goal-aligned network of mentors rather than reliance on a single advisor. He stresses the importance of seeking guidance tailored to specific objectives and being receptive to critical, rather than affirming, feedback. Throughout the conversation, he reinforces a broader philosophy centered on intentional decision-making, habit formation, and aligning daily actions with long-term outcomes.A significant portion of the discussion addresses physician wellness, where Sauer candidly reflects on personal experiences with burnout, depression, and maladaptive coping mechanisms. He critiques systemic barriers to acknowledging mental health struggles within medicine and calls for greater openness, structural reform, and proactive self-care. He emphasizes that wellness requires deliberate practices, such as physical activity, protected time for creativity, and boundary-setting, in addition to the recognition that resilience alone is insufficient in toxic environments.The episode concludes with reflections on work-life integration, legacy, and personal growth. Sauer highlights a shift in priorities toward family and time autonomy, underscoring the irreplaceable role of personal relationships relative to professional achievements. He introduces practical strategies such as “green zone” scheduling to optimize productivity and creativity, while also advocating for self-compassion, vulnerability, and presence. Ultimately, Sauer encourages listeners to pursue bold, purpose-driven careers, grounded in impact and authenticity, while remaining attentive to personal well-being and meaningful connections.
Listen to the sermon from the Rev. Ryan Fleenor on Sunday, April 26th, 2026 - The Fourth Sunday of Easter and Good Shepherd Sunday. For more information on all Saint Luke's has to offer, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Listen to the sermon from the Rev. Susan Wyper on Sunday, April 19, 2026, the Third Sunday of Easter. For more sermons and information from Saint Luke's Darien, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
+ Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 24: 13 – 35 Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.He asked them, "What are you discussing as you walk along?" They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know of the things that have taken place there in these days?"And he replied to them, "What sort of things?" They said to him, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see."And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the scriptures.As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.Then they said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning (within us) while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?"So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.The Gospel of the Lord
Listen to the sermon from the Rev. Hannah Pommersheim on Sunday, April 12, 2026, the Second Sunday of Easter. For more sermons and information from Saint Luke's Darien, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Samantha Rux joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the blood drive on April 9th, flag raising in honor of organ and tissue donors, new regional President Zach Yoder, and career opportunities. OSF Healthcare has plenty happening this spring across the Tri-Counties. OSF HealthCare Saint Luke Medical Center is hosting a blood drive this Thursday, April 9, from 7 AM to 5 PM in the East-West Conference Room. Community members are encouraged to schedule an appointment at bloodcenter.org, as blood donations are crucial for surgeries and emergencies. April also marks National Donate Life Month, spotlighting organ and tissue donation. On April 28, a flag will be raised at OSF Saint Luke in Kewanee to honor donor families. Additionally, Zach Yoder has taken on the role of regional president for several local OSF hospitals, with numerous job opportunities available at osfcareers.org. And don't forget—the annual golf outing returns June 1!
Listen to the Easter Sunday sermon from 11:15 worship by the Rev. Ryan Fleenor, Rector at Saint Luke's Darien. Alleluia, Christ is risen. Alleluia, Christ is risen, indeed. For more sermons from other Sundays, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org. Wishing you peace and light this Easter.
Listen to the sermon from The Rev. Ryan Fleenor on the Fourth Sunday in Lent, March 15, 2026. For other sermons from Saint Luke's or for more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Listen to the sermon from The Rev. Susan Wyper on the Third Sunday in Lent, March 8, 2026. For other sermons from Saint Luke's or for more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Listen to the sermon from The Rev. Hannah Pommersheim on the Second Sunday in Lent, March 1, 2026. For sermons from other Sundays at Saint Luke's, or for more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Listen to the sermon from our Seminarian Misty Krasawski on the First Sunday in Lent, February 22, 2026. For more sermons from other Sundays at Saint Luke's, or for more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Listen to the sermon from the Rev. Ryan Fleenor on the Last Sunday After the Epiphany, February 15, 2026. For more sermons from other Sundays at Saint Luke's, or for more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Sermon from the Rev. Susan Wyper at 5pm Come As You Are worship on the Fifth Sunday After the Epiphany. For more information and sermons from other Sundays at Saint Luke's, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Is there such a thing as a natural monk? Saint Luke was born in 896 to pious parents who came from Aegina but were forced to settle on the Greek mainland due to Saracen raids. From his earliest years, he showed a desire for a life of ascesis and contemplation usually only found in seasoned elders. He abstained from all flesh, cheese, eggs, and delicacies, drank only water, and kept a total fast on Wednesdays and Fridays. While herding cattle or tilling the family fields, he would often give away his food and even his clothing to the poor, returning home naked. When his father died, he abandoned farm work to devote himself entirely to prayer, making such progress that he was often lifted above the ground while praying. After a time he secretly left home and entered a monastery in Athens (he was now only fourteen years old), but the abbot sent him home after seeing his mother every night in dream, tearfully calling for her son. He returned home for a while, but when he had obtained her permission to leave once again set out upon the monastic life. He traveled widely, living as a hermit in various places, sometimes attached to a monastery and sometimes not. Often he would be forced to move by the number of visitors who learned of his holiness, no matter how secretly he tried to live, and came to him for prayer or a word of counsel or prophecy. Once he lived for three years on the island of Ampelon; his sister would occasionally bring him some bread, but he gave much of it away to the needy or to passing sailors. Finally, his health damaged, he returned to the mainland at the entreaties of his disciples and settled at a place called Stirion (which may be a corruption of Soterion), where he built a hermitage. Saint Luke fell ill in his seventh year at Stirion. Embracing his disciples, he asked them to pray for him, prophesying that the place where he died would someday be the site of a great church and monastery; he then reposed in peace and joy. His tomb exuded a fragrant oil which was collected and burned in a lamp, and many miracles and healings were wrought at the tomb. As the Saint had predicted, two churches and a monastery were built there, and the monastery of Hosios Lukas became a great place of pilgrimage, as it remains to this day.
Sermon on the Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany from 10am worship. Today's sermon is given by parishioner Lisa Baird, currently a student at the General Theological Seminary and a postulant for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut. Thank you Lisa! For more information and sermons from other Sundays at Saint Luke's, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org
Happy New Year from Saint Luke's! Listen to the Rev. Ryan Fleenor's sermon from 10am worship on January 4, 2026 here, and find more sermons and worship livestreams on our website at www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Merry Christmas from Saint Luke's! Listen to the Rev. Ryan Fleenor's sermon from 7:30pm worship on Christmas Eve, and find livestreams of all our Christmas services and from every Sunday on our website at www.saintlukesdarien.org.
For the Glory KC is back with the 157th episode of the show!Sporting Kansas City and the KC Current didn't have a ton going on this week, so instead we did a mailbag episode of the podcast. Apologies to those who asked questions we didn't get to, weren't equipped to answer or who we took so long to answer news has come out on your questions.For a decent junk of the mailbag, we played a game from listener Spencer. He asked us to go back to the end of 2024 and revisit our roster decisions. Knowing what we know now, would we change our mind on players or even regarding Peter Vermes. There was a surprising amount of disagreement!We also took questions about the active coaching search underway by David Lee, if we should have a For the Glory KC watch party, what the new stadium sponsor should be for Sporting KC, along with some KC Current (and NWSL wages) and World Cup questions.In the SKC roundup we talked about the Stefan Cleveland trade, the lack of signings this week, the new Saint Luke's sponsorship and the announced preseason dates and schedule. For the KC Current's roundup, we covered their trade and the re-signing of Rocky Rodriguez.In the Digital Crawl, we hit on a few more topics, including:New NWSL rule proposals (aka the Trinity Rodman rule)MLS Cup final ratingsVancouver Whitecaps stadium progressand KS Astras and KC Comets results and scheduleHere is a rundown of topics and start times:MAILBAG - 07:04SKC Roundup - 54:29KC Current Roundup - 1:03:20Digital Crawl - 1:05:15As a special gift to For the Glory KC listeners and KC Soccer Journal readers, Backheeled dot com is giving away 30 days of their amazing, independent American soccer coverage for free. If you decide you want to turn that into a paid membership, they'll give you 10 percent off too. Just follow this link!Big thanks to Splitter Conspiracy (listen to them here) for our theme music made with the permission of the KC Cauldron.
Today is Youth Sunday at Saint Luke's. Twice a year, the youth of the parish take leadership roles in the service, including giving the sermon. Today's sermon is given by Baker Smith, Darien High School Sophomore, on this Sunday, November 16, 2025. For more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
-We preview a remarkable special airing on Veteran's Day on PBS stations across the country- including channel 10 in Milwaukee. "American Heart in World War One: a Carnegie Hall Tribute" was created, written and narrated by historian John Monsky. This multi-media presentation combines spoken narration, projected images, plus numerous songs from the period offered up by five Broadway performers and The Orchestra of Saint Luke's.
Sermon from Guest Preacher the Rev. Danny Lennox, former Associate Rector at Saint Luke's and current Chaplain at Trinity-Pawling School in New York, on All Saints' Sunday, November 2, 2025. For more information, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Families - Listen to the Rev. Hannah Pommershiem's Children's Homily from Family Worship on the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost, October 26, 2025. To watch the full service, visit our website and click the orange "Watch Online" button in the top right corner of the home page of our website, www.saintlukesdarien.org. You'll also find an archive of recent worship services so you can attend church virtually anytime, anywhere. For more sermons and information on Saint Luke's, a warm and welcoming Episcopal Church in Darien, CT, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Listen to the Rev. Ryan Fleenor's sermon from the Feast of St. Luke and new member welcome worship on October 19, 2025. For more sermons and information on Saint Luke's, a warm and welcoming Episcopal Church in Darien, CT, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Blaine Clarke and Samantha Rux joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to talk about the Radiology Department at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee. As the OSF HealthCare system moves to a regional approach, Blaine Clarke has taken on the Director of Radiology, and Daniel Kroll is now the supervisor of Radiology at OSF Saint Luke Medical Center. Daniel Kroll brings experience and expertise from OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and OSF St. Luke's is encouraging everyone to schedule their mammograms. OSF's radiology department now features easy self-scheduling online, through the MyChart app, or on “Walk-In Wednesdays” in Kewanee, Galesburg, and Monmouth. "Walk-In Wednesdays" run from noon to 2:30 PM at OSF Saint Luke's in Kewanee. Multiple services, including CT, MRI, and ultrasound, are available with quick access and the same radiologists as Peoria's larger centers. Diagnostic days on Fridays help patients receive follow-up imaging if routine mammograms reveal concerns. Early detection remains key—screenings are recommended starting at age 40, or earlier if there's a family history. Remember—both women and men should be aware and get checked if needed. Patients seeking advanced imaging services have found a convenient option closer to home at Galesburg's Radiology Department. Residents from the surrounding areas are choosing this facility for its prompt scheduling and high standards of care, often available more quickly than at larger institutions where waits can stretch to weeks. Both CT and MRI scans are offered, handled by skilled technicians, and interpreted by the same radiologists who serve major hospitals like OSF St. Francis. This connection ensures consistent quality while sparing patients a lengthy drive or the hassle of larger parking areas, making specialized care more accessible and comfortable locally. Residents in the Kewanee area have access to advanced diagnostic imaging services at OSF Saint Luke's, located at 1051 W South St in Kewanee, IL. The department offers CT scans, MRI services, and X-ray services as part of OSF HealthCare Saint Luke Medical Center's commitment to local healthcare. CT scans and X-rays are offered around the clock, while MRI appointments are available weekdays, with extended hours on select days and Saturday mornings. Central Scheduling can be reached at 309-852-7550 for more details or to arrange an appointment. The center emphasizes convenience and comprehensive care.
Pastoral Reflections Finding God In Ourselves by Msgr. Don Fischer
Gospel Luke 10:1-9 The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'" Reflection The 72 represent the future church. Communities of people that have an understanding, a way of life that becomes attractive to other people and they want to know about it, and they need to learn about it. And what he's saying is there's healing power in my message, and I want you to share it. But what's so interesting, it's not like he sends out these 72 and he expects them to reach 50 homes a piece, or something. No, you go to one house, a house where someone there understands the peace that comes with the kingdom, and build on that person. It's like the kingdom of God spreads very naturally from one encounter to another, from one conversation to another. It's a beautiful image of the church and how it works. It's so organic and natural and nothing can stop it. Closing Prayer Father, open us always to the ways in which we can do the work that we are called to do. When we make it somehow too obvious or too intense, it doesn't work. It's something that flows from my heart to your heart, your heart to my heart in the relationships that we have. And that's where it all works. It's about love. It's about compassion. It's about understanding. And it's not about judgment or condemnation. So bless us with this gift of carrying your message through our hearts. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Prayer to St. LukeO glorious St. Luke, beloved physician and Evangelist, you revealed Christ as healer, friend of the poor, and messenger of the Father's mercy.Through your Gospel we hear the Magnificat, the mercy of the Good Samaritan, and the joy of the Prodigal's return. Pray for us, that we may live with compassion, bring peace to the suffering, and proclaim the Kingdom with courage.Guide all who heal, all who serve, and all who witness to Christ in the world. May we, like you, use our gifts for God's glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.St. Luke, faithful servant of the Word, intercede for us, that we may follow Christ with steadfast hearts and rejoice forever in His presence. Amen.
Read OnlineThe Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Luke 10:1–2Saint Luke, whom we honor today, was a true evangelist. As an evangelist, he followed the inspiration from our Lord and was used to bring God's saving message to the ends of the earth. And there is little doubt that his ministry will continue to have a transforming effect on the lives of many until the end of the world. Tradition states that Saint Luke became a martyr, being hanged on an olive tree. He is identified in the New Testament as a physician and as a disciple of Saint Paul. Both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are attributed to him.Saint Luke is often spoken of as an evangelist to the gentiles. His Gospel was written in such a way that it didn't presume a full understanding of the Jewish faith and customs. Therefore, it is believed to have been primarily written for those who are not of Jewish origin. Thus, the life and mission of Saint Luke must remind us that the Gospel needs to be shared with all people, especially with those who do not have a deep and sustaining relationship with God.In today's Gospel from Saint Luke, we read that Jesus sent seventy-two disciples “to every town and place he intended to visit.” Only Luke mentions the larger scale sending of seventy-two disciples. The other Gospels only mention the sending of the Twelve. Though many of these seventy-two disciples would have gone to Jewish territory, some would have unquestionably gone to non-Jewish territory. The mission of these seventy-two was to prepare everyone they encountered for the preaching of Jesus and for the establishment of the Kingdom of God.As we honor Saint Luke today and read this passage from his Gospel, we are reminded that we are all sent by our Lord. We are sent to those who share our faith, such as family, friends and fellow parishioners. We are sent to love them and do all we can to help deepen their faith and love of God. But we are also called to share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Jesus as their Savior. There are so many people we encounter every day who have never truly met our Lord. Are there people in your life that God is calling you to reach out to? Who do you know that God may be calling you to share the Gospel with? Reflect, today, upon the fact that the Gospel is meant for everyone. Speak to our Lord and tell Him that you are ready and willing to be used by Him to bring His saving message to others. As you do so, wait on the Lord, listen to His inspiration, and respond when He calls. If someone comes to mind whom you sense God is calling you to evangelize, begin to pray for that person. Pray for them every day and be attentive to any inspiration God gives you to share His love and saving message with them. Do not be afraid to be an evangelist like Saint Luke. Doing so might make an eternal difference in someone's life. My saving Lord, You sent Your disciples on a mission to share Your saving message with all. Today I especially thank You for the life and ministry of Saint Luke. Please use me, dear Lord, to imitate his wonderful example and to share Your glorious life with others. Please lead me and inspire me to especially reach out to those whom You have put into my life. Jesus, I trust in You. Image: Window: workshop of Franz Borgias Mayer (1848–1926); Photo: Andreas Praefcke, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Read OnlineWhen Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say. Luke 11:53–54Over the past few days, we have been reading Saint Luke's version of Jesus' “Woe to you” rebukes of the scribes, Pharisees and the scholars of the law. Today's Gospel concludes these rebukes of love by pointing out that these religious leaders did not convert. Instead, they began plotting against Jesus so as to “catch him at something he might say.” This is what happens when people use God's holy law as a weapon to attack.Normally, we take inspiration from the Holy Scriptures in a positive way, meaning, by reflecting upon Jesus' words and actions and applying them to our lives. However, we can also learn from the evil others commit and allow their actions to inspire us to avoid their sin. In today's Gospel, we are invited to ponder the obsessive plotting of these religious leaders so as to consider whether we also are guilty of their sin.First, note that at the conclusion of Jesus' rebukes, these religious leaders “began to act with hostility” toward Jesus. Normally, when we act with hostility toward another, it is done with the mindframe that we are right and they have done something wrong. We justify our hostility by pointing to their perceived sin. However, it must be understood that every act of hostility on our part is a clear indication that we have started down the road of sin and are not justified in our obsession.Notice also that these religious leaders exercised their hostility toward Jesus by interrogating Him. In other words, in their anger, they kept asking Him questions so as to find some fault with Him. They tried to trick Him and trap Him with their speech using God's very Law handed down through Moses and the prophets. But they manipulated that Law so as to justify their hostility and, out of pride, to falsely accuse Jesus.Think about any times in your life in which you found yourself somewhat obsessed with what you judged to be the sin of another. Hostility in this case can even be passive, meaning you may present a kind disposition on the surface, but interiorly you are obsessively thinking about how you can condemn the person. Often when this happens, we can feel justified in that we convince ourselves that justice must be done and that we are the dispensers of that justice. But if God is in control of our lives, He will not call us to obsessive plotting in regard to another. Instead, when we are following the will of God, we will sense Him inspiring us to act with immediacy, calm, joy, kindness, honesty, and freedom from all anger and obsession. Reflect, today, upon any way that you have seen this misguided tendency within your own life. If you can identify a time when you struggled with hostility toward another, look at the fruit it bore. Was God glorified through your actions? Did this leave you at peace or agitated? Were you fully objective in your thinking? Be honest with these questions and you will begin to discover the road to freedom from such obsessive thinking. God wants you to be at peace. If there is injustice, trust that our Lord will sort it out. You, for your part, must continually work to forgive, act with charity, and direct your attention to the will of God as it is gently presented to you. My patient and kind Lord, You were falsely accused and condemned by many of the religious leaders of Your time because You spoke the pure truth with love, clarity and boldness. When I act with hostility and anger toward another, help me to turn from these sins so that I will never condemn, never judge and never manipulate Your divine Law for my own purposes. Fill me with Your peace and charity alone, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Duccio di Buoninsegna, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Today we welcome back His Eminence Mor Dionysius John Kawak to the Voices of Syriac Faith podcast!In this episode, we explore the beautiful and meaningful story of Mary and Martha from the Gospel according to Saint Luke. His Eminence guides us through a thoughtful reflection on the balance between contemplation and service, drawing lessons from the different ways Mary and Martha responded to Jesus' presence in their home. We reflect on how their story speaks to our own spiritual priorities, distractions, and the call to choose "the good part" in our daily walk with Christ.New episodes are released on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts!
There is a scene in the Gospel according to Saint Luke, brief in its telling but vast in its implication, that speaks volumes about the human heart. Ten lepers cry out to Christ from a distance, exiled by their affliction, their humanity diminished in the eyes of the world. With a word, He sends them to the priests. As they go, they are healed. But only one returns! One out of ten. And even more shocking, it's a Samaritan no less who falls at His feet in thanksgiving. And Jesus asks, with divine ache: "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?" (Luke 17:17).Ten were healed; one was grateful. This is no small parable in passing. It is a mirror. We are all, in some manner, lepers—ailing in soul or circumstance, calling out to God in the wilderness. And He, in mercy, hears us. He grants healing, restoration, daily bread, breath itself. But how often do we return to give thanks?The modern soul, so puffed with knowledge, tends to treat blessings as entitlements. Health is expected until lost. Beauty, until faded. Time, until it is spent. We do not thank the sun for rising; we demand it. But the thankful man, the one like the Samaritan, sees all with fresh eyes. He understands that he is not owed the sunrise, nor the healing, nor the gift of grace itself. All is gift. All is mercy.The ungrateful man lives in illusion, thinking himself self-made, imagining a world where God is irrelevant. But the grateful man sees clearly. He sees the Giver behind the gift.In the end, gratitude is not for God's benefit, as though He needed our thanks. It is for ours. The nine were healed in body, yes—but the one who returned was healed in soul. Christ says to him, “Your faith has saved you." The Greek word here—sozo—can mean saved, made whole. The returning leper received more than the others because he gave more: he gave thanks.Let us then cultivate the holy habit of gratitude, not as a mere politeness but as worship. Let us rise each day and say, “Thank You,” for the breath in our lungs, the light in our eyes, the cross that bore our salvation. For in giving thanks, we do not flatter God; we draw near to Him. We remember who we are, and more importantly, whose we are.And perhaps, in the end, gratitude is the seed of every other virtue. For the man who is truly thankful will not be proud, nor greedy, nor bitter. He will walk humbly, love deeply, and live wisely.May we be the one who returns. In fact, by coming to Sunday Mass today, you are returning back to the God who gives us everything. You are the Samaritan. That is why the “Eucharist”, the greatest gift of all because it is Jesus Christ himself, comes from the Greek word, “thanksgiving”. --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian's homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give
Listen to the Rev. Susan Wyper's sermon from the Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost on October 12, 2025. For more sermons and information on Saint Luke's, a warm and welcoming Episcopal Church in Darien, CT, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Podcast 305 – How Saint Luke's Pumpkin Patch Powers Dunwoody Robotics – Emmy Knight & Paige Holliman The Pumpkin Patch at Saint Luke's isn't just a fall photo op. It's the main fundraiser for Dunwoody High's Wildcat5e Robotics team. Student leader Emmy Knight and parent volunteer Paige Holliman explain how this small but mighty team builds 100+ pound robots and competes across Georgia, all powered by community support. Every October, thousands of pumpkins take over the lot at 1978 Mount Vernon Road. Families come for the face painting, bounce house, yard games, and sand art. They stick around for the friendly vibe and a peek downstairs, where the team is hard at work. Visitors can watch the robot in progress and even try driving a demo bot. With prices that won't break the bank and plenty of extras to keep kids busy, it's an easy stop that supports local students doing big things. It's also a great way to spark curiosity in young engineers who want to see what robotics is all about. Whether you're new to Dunwoody or just looking for a reason to swing by, this is one fall tradition that gives back. Open daily 11 to 7 through Halloween. More info: whatsupdunwoody.com/robotics Website: https://whatsupdunwoody.com/podcast-305-how-saint-lukes-pumpkin-patch-powers-dunwoody-robotics-emmy-knight-paige-holliman/ What's Up Dunwoody Links:
Listen to the Rev. Hannah Pommersheim's sermon from the Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost, the Feast of Saint Francis, on October 5, 2025. For more sermons and information on Saint Luke's, a warm and welcoming Episcopal Church in Darien, CT, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Read OnlineThe apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.” Luke 17:5–6Is it possible to completely uproot a tree and plant it in the sea? It's certainly hard to imagine how. It is especially hard to imagine doing so with a simple command of faith. Uprooting a tree is hard enough to imagine, but it is even more difficult to imagine a tree being planted in the sea. Though water is necessary, one cannot plant a tree in the sea and expect it to grow. But that's partly the point. We often underestimate the power of true faith. Saint Matthew's Gospel says that faith can move mountains. Saint Luke's says it can uproot a tree and replant it in the sea. All it takes to do so is faith the size of a mustard seed.How much faith is equal to a mustard seed? A mustard seed is small, very small. It measures only about one millimeter in length. People who worked the soil at that time would have known that it was among the smallest of seeds they planted. For that reason, Jesus uses this familiar image to teach the apostles that faith, even a little faith, is powerful.Jesus' teaching comes in response to a prayer on the part of the apostles. “Increase our faith,” they said. Jesus' response, inviting them to have only a little faith, implies that their faith was quite weak. To increase their faith to the size of a mustard seed suggests that they did not even have a little faith yet. Most likely they were aware of that fact, and that was the reason they asked Jesus to increase their faith. They perceived their lacking and turned to Him Who could help.One of the first steps to increasing faith is to humbly admit our lack of faith. In our pride, we often want to convince ourselves and others that we are filled with faith. But if that were the case, God would be doing incredible things through us. He would be doing that which is otherwise humanly impossible.Obviously, faith does not give us magical powers by which we can literally command a tree to uproot itself and plant itself in the sea. This imagery is meant to tell us that faith will work miracles of faith, not necessarily physical miracles. In fact, if God ever did use us and our faith to work a physical miracle, it would only happen because it was a motivation for the far more important gift of the increase of faith.What, then, can a little faith do? It can uproot sin from your heart and from the hearts of those around you. It can nourish you and others in ways that seem impossible. Just as a tree cannot normally be planted in the sea and survive, the gift of faith, even a little faith, will enable the soul to be nourished and strengthened in ways that otherwise seem impossible. A martyr perfectly illustrates this fact. Normally, persecution and death are not considered to be nourishing to a person. But when a person has faith and suffers martyrdom on account of Christ, then their soul will be fed by the persecution itself. And that is among the greatest of miracles possible. Suffering, persecution, illness, poverty, and every other difficulty imaginable are transformed by God into a source of nourishment when we endure them with true faith. Reflect, today, upon the prayer of the apostles: “Increase our faith.” Some of the greatest mystics taught that faith darkens the intellect. By this darkening, they mean that, by faith, God will lead us into the unknown, on a path that He alone is aware of. We will become instruments of His transforming grace in ways that are completely beyond our natural abilities. Pray for an increase of faith. When our Lord hears your humble prayer, by which you also confess your lack of faith, He will increase that faith, uproot sin and evil, and plant your soul in places in which you become nourished in ways that you could have never imagined possible. Most glorious Lord, Increase my faith. Give me a pure faith—a faith that enables You to lead me down the unknown path to Your glory. With this gift of faith, please use me to bring forth Your miraculous power by which sin is uprooted and souls are nourished by You alone. Jesus, I trust in You. Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.
Listen to the Rev. Ansley Walker's sermon from the Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost on September 21, 2025. For more sermons and information on Saint Luke's, a warm and welcoming Episcopal Church in Darien, CT, visit www.saintlukesdarien.org.
Art is powerful. It can foster social cohesion and influence the mood of a moment. Murals aren't just decorative elements in a neighborhood; they are a tool for revitalization, connection, and storytelling that amplifies voices and strengthens both place and people.rnrnIn partnership with the Saint Luke's Foundation, Assembly for the Arts' Jeremy Johnson will be joined by Kevin "mr.soul" Harp, Stina Aleah, and Robin Robinson. Each of these talented artists have created stunning murals within the Saint Luke's footprint in the Buckeye-Shaker, Woodhill, and Mt. Pleasant neighborhoods.rnrnJoin us for a special FREE City Club Forum and Cookout in the Community as we hear from three inspiring muralists who have transformed their communities on Cleveland's East Side, and what more can be done to support art for the public good.