Daily Readings - Sun Jul 14 2019

¹⁰but only if you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and keep his precepts and ceremonies, which have been written in this law, and only if you return to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul¹¹This commandment, which I entrust to you today, is not high above you, nor has it been placed far away¹²Nor is it in heaven, so that you would be able to say, ‘Which of us can ascend to heaven, so as to carry it back to us, and so that we may hear it and fulfill it in deed?¹³Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you would excuse yourself by saying, ‘Which of us is able to cross the sea, and to carry it back to us, so that we may be able to hear and to do what has been instructed?¹⁴Instead, the word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it

Colossians

Chapter 1

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature¹⁶For in him was created everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created through him and in him¹⁷And he is before all, and in him all things continue¹⁸And he is the head of his body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that in all things he may hold primacy¹⁹For the Father is well-pleased that all fullness reside in him²⁰and that, through him, all things be reconciled to himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, for the things that are on earth, as well as the things that are in heaven

Luke

Chapter 10

²⁵And behold, a certain expert in the law rose up, testing him and saying, "Teacher, what must I do to possess eternal life?²⁶But he said to him: "What is written in the law? How do you read it?²⁷In response, he said: "You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from all your strength, and from all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.²⁸And he said to him: "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.²⁹But since he wanted to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?³⁰Then Jesus, taking this up, said: "A certain man descended from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he happened upon robbers, who now also plundered him. And inflicting him with wounds, they went away, leaving him behind, half-alive³¹And it happened that a certain priest was descending along the same way. And seeing him, he passed by³²And similarly a Levite, when he was near the place, also saw him, and he passed by³³But a certain Samaritan, being on a journey, came near him. And seeing him, he was moved by mercy³⁴And approaching him, he bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. And setting him on his pack animal, he brought him to an inn, and he took care of him³⁵And the next day, he took out two denarii, and he gave them to the proprietor, and he said: ‘Take care of him. And whatever extra you will have spent, I will repay to you at my return.³⁶Which of these three, does it seem to you, was a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?³⁷Then he said, "The one who acted with mercy toward him." And Jesus said to him, "Go, and act similarly.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s commandments, the identity of Christ, and the call to live out our faith in love and mercy. In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the people that God’s commandments are not distant or inaccessible; they are written on their hearts and in their mouths, requiring only a willingness to return to the Lord with all their heart and soul. This passage emphasizes the nearness of God’s word and the simplicity of living in obedience to it. The second reading from Colossians lifts our gaze to the divine. It describes Christ as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the head of the Church. Through Him, all things were created and reconciled, and it is through His blood that peace is made between heaven and earth. This passage calls us to recognize the primacy of Christ in all things and to see the world through the lens of His redemptive love. In the Gospel, Luke presents the parable of the Good Samaritan, a story that challenges us to redefine what it means to be a neighbor. The lawyer who questions Jesus seeks to justify himself by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds by showing that a neighbor is not defined by proximity or similarity but by the act of showing mercy. The Samaritan, often considered an outsider, becomes the true neighbor by stopping to care for the wounded man, while the priest and Levite pass by. This parable reminds us that love for God and love for neighbor are inseparable, and that living out this love requires concrete actions of compassion and kindness. These readings together call us to live in the tension between the nearness of God’s word and the call to act on it. Just as the Samaritan did not allow cultural or religious barriers to prevent him from showing mercy, we too are called to break down walls and reach out to those in need. The commandments of God are not distant or burdensome but are written on our hearts, and living them out means being willing to love without boundaries. Let us ask ourselves today: Who is my neighbor? And how can I, like the Good Samaritan, act with mercy and compassion in my daily life?