St. Luke's Day I

For They Too Pray

There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians, for they too pray to the Lord.

— Sirach 38:13–14

As we approach the Feast of St. Luke, traditionally remembered as both an evangelist and a physician, my thoughts turn immediately to some of the people I've known who have devoted their lives to healing. There's something particularly beautiful about knowing doctors and other healthcare professionals who are also people of faith. They bring years of education, training, experience, and professional judgment to their work, but they also recognize that caring for another human being involves something more than technical expertise. They understand the value of compassion, humility, and sometimes prayer.

The wisdom of Sirach offers a remarkably generous view of the medical profession. We're instructed to honor physicians, recognizing that their healing abilities are gifts from God. The chapter also celebrates medicines found in nature and those who prepare them. Far from presenting faith and medicine as competing approaches, Sirach brings them together. Seek God's help, the writer advises, but also give the physician an opportunity to do the work entrusted to that profession. And then comes that wonderful observation: physicians themselves pray that God will grant them success in bringing healing and relief. What a marvelous partnership between human knowledge and divine wisdom!

I think of my friend Dr. Mike, a bass player affectionately known as “Doc,” whose gifts extend beyond the world of music. I think of Marty, whose work in mental health reminds us that emotional and psychological well-being deserve the same seriousness and compassion we give to physical illness. I think of my good friend and advisor Christine, and Bill, whose work focuses on spinal wellness. These are people I know personally, not distant figures behind impressive professional titles. Their work reminds me that healing takes many forms, and that the people who devote themselves to caring for others are themselves individuals with hopes, convictions, families, and needs.

We live in an age when medicine, education, and even religious ministry can become entangled in bitter political disagreements. People who once might have been recognized primarily for their service are sometimes judged instead by which side of an argument they appear to occupy. I remember my high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Eisenbeiser, whom we affectionately called Ike. He once acknowledged that he was a liberal Democrat, then readily expressed appreciation for the concerns about financial responsibility and national defense that he associated with Republicans. He could hold his own convictions without dismissing the value of someone else's. I've never forgotten that. We don't have to agree about everything to recognize one another's gifts, respect one another's dignity, or care for one another's well-being.

St. Luke's Day offers a welcome opportunity to set aside those divisions and remember what matters most. A physician's first concern should be the person in need of care. A patient's gratitude need not depend on sharing every conviction held by the person providing that care. And the rest of us can remember that doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals carry responsibilities that can be physically exhausting and emotionally demanding. Their knowledge matters. Their judgment matters. Their humanity matters. They deserve our respect, encouragement, and prayers, just as we depend upon their skill and compassion.

But Sirach also holds up a mirror to the rest of us. We may not have medical degrees or the ability to prescribe treatments, yet every day we encounter people who are hurting, frightened, lonely, or uncertain. How do we respond? Do we make room for their needs, or allow our disagreements to become more important than their suffering? Do we recognize when someone needs professional help beyond what we can offer? And are we willing to receive that help ourselves? As we begin remembering St. Luke and the people whose work reflects his healing vocation, perhaps we can begin with something simple: gratitude for the hands that heal, the minds that seek understanding, and the hearts that care. For they, too, pray to the Lord.

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