I conduct research at Creighton university and every semester, I receive requests from undergraduates, asking if they can work in my lab. I can’t grant everyone’s request, so I need to be selective. But discerning which students will thrive in my lab and which students will squeak by with the minimal amount of work is difficult. Often, the students who end up falling in love with research are the ones I least expect. And the high expectations I have for those highly motivated pre-med students are rarely met. I wonder if Paul felt the same about his co-workers.

Did Paul expect that his fellow co-worker, Demas, would desert him? That Alexander the coppersmith would end up doing him harm? What did Paul expect from Mark when he sent for him? Luke, the beloved physician, remains loyal to Paul. Was Paul surprised by this? In our Gospel, Jesus appoints 72 disciples to spread the Good News. Did all 72 remain loyal to Jesus’ message? Or did some disappoint?

Perhaps we’ve been pleasantly surprised by the loyalty and commitment of certain brothers and sisters in Christ. Or perhaps we’ve been let down by their word and example. Either way, I find it helpful to let go of my own expectations of others and, like Paul, remember that it is God who always stands by me and gives me strength. If I allow the Holy Spirit to work in me, then God can do great things through me.

As we celebrate the Feast of St. Luke, we remember how he spread the Good News not just among the Jews, but to all Gentiles. The Church continues this evangelization, especially with this month’s Synod on Synodality. The synod is an opportunity for each of us to continue the work of Jesus’ 72 disciples, Paul, and Luke. We can support the synod with our prayers. We can also imitate the model of the synod, listening to one another and allowing the Holy Spirit to inspire us so we can continue to fulfill our mission to evangelize in the world. And we can pray for those who, like Demas and Alexander, work against the Holy Spirit.