Lectionary: 461
Reading 1
gal 1:6-12
Brothers and sisters:
I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking
the one who called you by the grace of Christ
for a different gospel (not that there is another).
But there are some who are disturbing you
and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach to you a gospel
other than the one that we preached to you,
let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again,
if anyone preaches to you a gospel
other than the one that you received,
let that one be accursed!
Am I now currying favor with human beings or God?
Or am I seeking to please people?
If I were still trying to please people,
I would not be a slave of Christ.
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
ps 111:1b-2, 7-8, 9 and 10c
R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
lk 10:25-37
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: GOOD NEIGHBORS ARE MERCIFUL
" 'Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the man who fell in with the robbers?' The answer came, 'The one who treated him with mercy.' " –Luke 10:36-37, our transl.
A lawyer of the Mosaic law questioned Jesus: "Teacher, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?" (Lk 10:25) Jesus referred the lawyer to the law (Lk 10:26). Then the lawyer asked Jesus for an interpretation of the law concerning the meaning of the word "neighbor" (Lk 10:29).
Jesus did not interpret the law by citing other laws, as would have been customary. Rather, He interpreted the law by telling a parable. The priest and the Levite in the parable were faced with an interpretation of the law. The law stated that no priest "shall make himself unclean for any dead person among his people" (Lv 21:1). This would probably also apply to the Levites because they served in the Temple. Since the person attacked by robbers in the parable was "half-dead" (Lk 10:30), may have looked dead, or may have been close to death, the priest and the Levite had to decide if the law of having mercy on the afflicted (see Lv 19:16) took precedence over the law of ritual cleanness. They decided that ritual cleanness took precedence. Jesus said they were wrong. As much as God desires sacrifice and the ritual cleanness that must accompany sacrifice, He desires mercy even more (Mt 12:7) – mercy for all people. This means everyone is our neighbor.
We deal with the same issue today as we struggle to put mercy ahead of judgment (Jas 2:13), especially concerning capital punishment and war. If we don't have mercy toward everyone, even enemies such as the Samaritans, then is everyone our neighbor? "Blessed are the merciful" (Mt 5:7, our transl.).
PRAYER: Father, may I make no exceptions to the commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mt 22:39).
PROMISE: "If I were trying to win man's approval, I would surely not be serving Christ!" –Gal 1:10
PRAISE: Mike has fasted weekly for years to end abortion.
Be an inspiration, kindly Share.
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