15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C, Year II)
Community Word: Disciples of Christ are empowered to build God’s Kingdom.
Theme: We are empowered to build God’s Kingdom as we show compassion and care to the helpless and the marginalized.
Promise: “The Lord hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds, he spurns not.” (Ps 69:34)
Reflection:
To love God and to love our neighbor as you love yourself are the two mandates asked of us by the Lord to gain eternal life. This is very clear in this Sunday’s Gospel reading as Jesus’ response to the question how to inherit eternal life. He gives us this definitive order and promise – “Do this and you will live,” (Lk 10:28).
Every true Christian desires to inherit eternal life, to be in heaven and remain in God’s presence forever. But we have to work for it by listening and acting on God’s word as exemplified by Jesus. His love is unconditional, unchanging and knows no bounds, without bias or prejudice, and all-embracing. Everyone is our neighbor and we show our love for God when we are able to respond with mercy and compassion to anyone we encounter who is in need. Pope John Paul ll said, “no one is too poor not to be able to give, nor too rich he has nothing to receive.” As Christ’s disciples who are “the image of the invisible God,” (Col 1: 15), we are enjoined and empowered to build His kingdom here on earth and be joined in Christ – “…in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church.” (Col 1: 17b, 18a).
The parable of the Good Samaritan speaks of the many challenges and realities we face in our daily life. We are called to respond to situations that call for “agape” love. At times, we are like the priest or the Levite in the story who turned a blind eye to the injured man laying down on the road who obviously needed help. Why did these two characters not help? Were they afraid, perhaps they felt incapable? Or just like the beggars in our streets, maybe they thought they would be scammed? Or maybe, they just did not care because they refused to go out of their comfort zones and be inconvenienced? In our churches (particularly, in the Philippines), we see many mendicants and people selling their wares, or even leis of sampaguita flowers; do we just turn a blind eye and pass another way or worse shoo them away?
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus reminds and enjoins us to be like the Samaritan to be always ready to love, even the most unlovable amongst us, to show compassion, care, and empathy to the helpless and marginalized, to be generous of our time, talent and treasure, for that is the way to love God. We love Him with all our heart, with all our being (soul), with all our strength, and with all our mind (cf. Dt 30:10). Just as Jesus is compassionate and merciful, we too must show the same to others, not counting the cost. He assures us in this week’s promise: “The Lord hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds, he spurns not,” (Ps 69:34).
Prayer:
Jesus, we need You and ask for Your grace to be able to be generous with our time, talent and resources. Please convict us and extend Your forgiveness and mercy on occasions we are remiss in extending what you require of us. Help us to be like You in the way we love and care for people we come in contact with, especially the helpless and marginalized. May we be Your instruments of blessings and grace for others. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
- What are the challenges or difficulties I experience in carrying out God’s commandment of love?
- In what tangible way can I show mercy and compassion towards people I find difficult to love?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
July 10, 2022 (Sun) – Dt 30:10-14/Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36-37/Col: 1:15-20/Lk 10:25-37
July 11, 2022 (Mon) – Is 1:10-17/Ps 50:8-9, 16-17, 21-23/Mt 10:34-11:1
July 12, 2022 (Tue) – Is 7:1-9/Ps 48:2-3,3-4,5-6,7-8/Mt 11:20-24
July 13, 2022 (Wed) – Is 10:5-7, 13-16/Ps 64:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15/Mt 11:25-27
July 14, 2022 (Thu) – Is 26:7-9, 12, 16-19/Ps 102:13-14, 15, 16-18, 19-21/Mt 11:28-30
July 15, 2022 (Fri) – Is 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8/Is 38:10, 11, 12, 16/Mt 12:1-8
July 16, 2022 (Sat) – Mt 2:1-5/Ps 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14/Mt 12:14-21
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
