Daily Readings - Mon Oct 05 2020

⁶I wonder that you have been so quickly transferred, from him who called you into the grace of Christ, over to another gospel⁷For there is no other, except that there are some persons who disturb you and who want to overturn the Gospel of Christ⁸But if anyone, even we ourselves or an Angel from Heaven, were to preach to you a gospel other than the one that we have preached to you, let him be anathema⁹Just as we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone has preached a gospel to you, other than that which you have received, let him be anathema¹⁰For am I now persuading men, or God? Or, am I seeking to please men? If I still were pleasing men, then I would not be a servant of Christ¹¹For I would have you understand, brothers, that the Gospel which has been preached by me is not according to man¹²And I did not receive it from man, nor did I learn it, except through the revelation of Jesus Christ

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

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of staying true to the Gospel and living out its teachings in our lives. The first reading from Galatians expresses Paul’s astonishment that the Galatians have so quickly turned away from the Gospel they first received. He emphasizes that there is only one true Gospel, revealed by God, and any other message is a distortion. Paul’s passion underscores the necessity of remaining faithful to the authentic teachings of Christ, which are rooted in God’s revelation, not human invention. The Gospel from Luke presents us with the parable of the Good Samaritan, a powerful illustration of what it means to live the Gospel. When asked how to inherit eternal life, Jesus points to the law of love—loving God and neighbor. The parable challenges us to redefine who our neighbor is, not limited by cultural, religious, or social boundaries. The Samaritan, often seen as an outcast, becomes the true neighbor because he shows compassion and acts selflessly. This parable teaches us that being a neighbor is not about geography or affiliation but about mercy and love in action. Together, these readings call us to fidelity and compassion. Paul warns against being swayed by false gospels, urging us to cling to the truth of Christ. The Good Samaritan reminds us that this truth must be lived out in tangible ways—through acts of kindness, mercy, and love for all people, regardless of their background. In our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we staying true to the Gospel? Are we living it out by being neighbors to those in need? May we, like the Good Samaritan, allow God’s love to flow through us, transforming the world one act of mercy at a time.