Daily Readings - Sun Jul 10 2022

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

In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of faith and how it translates into our actions. The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us that God’s commandments are not distant or inaccessible but are near to us, in our hearts and mouths. This emphasizes the importance of internalizing our faith and living it out in our daily lives. The second reading from Colossians beautifully describes Christ as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the reconciler of all things. This highlights Jesus’ central role in creation and redemption, reminding us that our faith is rooted in His divine love. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, which challenges us to redefine who our neighbor is. The Samaritan, despite cultural and religious barriers, shows compassion to the wounded man, demonstrating that being a neighbor is not about proximity or similarity but about extending love and mercy to all. This parable underscores the call to move beyond our comfort zones and prejudices to serve others selflessly. These readings are interconnected in their call to live out our faith actively. Deuteronomy encourages us to embrace God’s word in our hearts, Colossians reminds us of the universal love of Christ, and the parable of the Good Samaritan shows us how to put this love into practice. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Who are the “Samaritans” in our midst? How can we show mercy and compassion to those we encounter? May we, like the Good Samaritan, allow God’s love to flow through us, transforming the world around us.