10/9/2023 (Monday) Today’s gospel reading: Luke 10:25-37

25 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
27 He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
28 He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”
29 But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
32 Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
33 But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.
34 He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him.
35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’
36 Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
37 He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

10/9/2023 (Monday) Today’s gospel reflection / Homily / Sermon: Luke 10:25-37

The law of love should not only be written in scriptures but in our heart and mind. To love God with all our being means to be aware of His presence in us every single moment and to think, speak, and act with the intention of glorifying Him. On the other hand, to love our neighbor as ourselves means to consider other people especially the needy as part of ourselves. Other people, in fact the whole of creation, are the products of one creator. Hence, other people are no different from us spiritually. They are not separate from us actually. Therefore whatever we do to them, we do it to ourselves.

Today we are witnesses of the ugly head of racism and its detrimental effects on peace and development. The chasm between us and them is a product of hatred, the very opposite of love. The same can be said of ignorance and neglect of the needy. Those who have much have separated themselves from those who have very little. Then those who suffer from poverty and violence are left to fend for themselves. So where is love of neighbor?

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