Daily Readings - Sun Jul 14 2019

¹⁰when you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.¹¹"For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off.¹²It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'¹⁴But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

Colossians

Chapter 1

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.¹⁷And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Luke

Chapter 10

²⁵And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"²⁶He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"²⁷And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."²⁸And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live."²⁹But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"³⁰Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.³¹Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.³²So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.³³But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.³⁴He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.³⁵And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'³⁶Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"³⁷He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."

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?