Glory forever! “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me.” — Luke 10:16
St. Tikhon Orthodox Chapel in Omaha, Nebraska shares its October 18–24, 2026 weekly bulletin, featuring an Orthodox reflection on Luke 10:16–21, the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, and the call to humility and true joy in Christ.
20th Sunday after Pentecost · Tone 3
Sunday, October 18, 2026 Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke
This Sunday: Christ sends His disciples to proclaim the Kingdom, reminding us that the Gospel is received through faithful witness and that our true joy is in belonging to Him.
The Week Before Us
In Luke 10:16–21, Christ tells His disciples that those who hear them hear Him, and those who reject them reject Him. The apostles are not preaching their own message: they have been sent to bear witness to the Lord. Their calling is one of obedience, humility, and faithful service.
When the seventy return rejoicing that even demons are subject to them in Christ’s name, the Lord redirects their joy: they are to rejoice above all that their names are written in heaven. Spiritual gifts and accomplishments must never become occasions for pride. Our hope rests in communion with God, not in what we can achieve.
Sunday · Oct. 1820th Sunday after Pentecost; Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke.
Thursday · Oct. 22Saint Averkios, Equal of the Apostles; the Seven Youths of Ephesus.
Saturday · Oct. 24Reader Great Vespers, 5:00 p.m. at Living Faith (per chapel schedule).
Featured Commemoration — Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke
Saint Luke, remembered on October 18, was a physician, a faithful companion of the Apostle Paul, and the author of the Gospel bearing his name and the Acts of the Apostles. Through his writings, we hear of Christ’s compassion, His teaching, His death and Resurrection, and the preaching of the Gospel in the early Church.
Saint Luke preserves this teaching of Christ and, as an evangelist and fellow laborer of the apostles, reminds us that the Church proclaims the Gospel entrusted to her. The Lord praises the Father for revealing divine truth to the humble, calling us to receive His word with the trust of children.
Sometimes the greatest obstacle to prayer is not opposition to God but the constant noise of ordinary life. The Lord’s parable asks us to notice what is taking root within us. Do our worries crowd out gratitude? Does a good intention fade when following through becomes difficult?
This week, consider what brings you joy. Give thanks for the gifts God has given you, but do not measure your worth by success or recognition. Pray for humility, listen to the teaching of Christ, and serve others without seeking praise.
One Thing to Carry With You
Choose one short passage of Scripture this week. Read it each day and ask God to help you live it.
From the OCA — Metropolitan Tikhon, “Sermon for the Exaltation of the Cross”: Christ teaches that true joy is not found in spiritual achievements or recognition, but in belonging to Him. Metropolitan Tikhon connects this teaching to the quiet, daily work of humility, service, and love for our neighbor. Read the OCA teaching.
Teachings of the Saints
Saint Averkios — A Shepherd Who Brought Others to Christ
On October 22 we remember Saint Averkios, Bishop of Hieropolis, honored as Equal of the Apostles. He lived in the second century among people who largely did not know Christ. Through preaching, prayer, and care for those who suffered, he led many to the Christian faith.
His witness was not simply a matter of speaking convincingly. He prayed for his neighbors, cared for the afflicted, and persevered in teaching the truth. His ministry recalls the Lord’s words in Luke 10:16: those who hear the faithful proclamation of the apostles hear Christ Himself.
