Daily Readings - Sun Jul 14 2019

¹⁰if you obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. The Offer of Life or Death¹¹Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.¹²It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?"¹³Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?"¹⁴No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Colossians

Chapter 1

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.¹⁷He 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 and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.¹⁹For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Luke

Chapter 10

²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"²⁶"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"²⁷He answered: "'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, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"²⁸"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"³⁰In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.³⁵The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'³⁶"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"³⁷The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "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?