10/5/2026 (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.”

10/5/2026 (Monday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 10:25-37

Theme: Living the Love We Receive

In this Gospel reading, a man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus leads him to recognize that loving God and loving others are at the heart of the answer. Wanting to clarify who deserves his love, the man asks who his neighbor is. Jesus responds with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, story of a man who is attacked, robbed, and left half-dead on the road. Several religious people see him but pass by. Then a Samaritan, someone from a group often looked down upon by the Jews, stops, cares for the wounded man, treats his injuries, carries him to a place of safety, and pays for his continued care. Jesus then turns the question around: the real issue is not simply identifying who our neighbor is, but becoming a neighbor to someone in need.

Using the word “LIFE”, let us be guided with the parable’s message.

L — Look Beyond Yourself

Life becomes more meaningful when we learn to notice people beyond our own concerns. The wounded man in the story could easily have been ignored because stopping would require time, effort, and inconvenience.

Every day, we pass people carrying invisible wounds, someone struggling with loneliness, a family facing financial difficulty, a colleague quietly discouraged, or a stranger who simply needs kindness.

Sometimes we are so focused on our destination that we fail to see the people along the road. Love begins when we stop, look, and notice.

I — Interrupt Your Comfort

The Samaritan did something that was inconvenient. He interrupted his journey to help someone else.

True compassion often demands that we interrupt our plans. We may have schedules to follow, responsibilities to finish, and problems of our own. Yet there are moments when another person’s need becomes more important than our convenience.

We do not always need extraordinary opportunities to show love. Sometimes love is simply giving a few minutes to listen, offering encouragement, helping someone carry a burden, or reaching out to someone who feels forgotten.

F — Feel Compassion, Then Act

Compassion is more than feeling sorry for someone. The Samaritan did not merely pity the wounded man; he did something about his suffering.

This challenges us because it is easy to say, “I feel bad for him,” while continuing on our way.

Love becomes powerful when compassion becomes action.

We may not be able to solve everyone’s problems, but we can do something. A small act of kindness can become a great blessing in another person’s life.

E — Extend Love to Everyone

The Samaritan crossed a social and cultural boundary. He helped someone whom society might have taught him to avoid.

That is one of the greatest challenges of this story: love cannot be limited only to people who look like us, think like us, agree with us, or belong to our circle.

Jesus invites us to widen our hearts.

LIFE is not measured only by how much we accomplish, how much we possess, or how many people know our name. LIFE becomes truly meaningful when our presence makes another person’s journey a little lighter.

May we learn to Look, Interrupt, Feel and act, and Extend.

Because sometimes, the greatest expression of our love for God is simply stopping along the road to become a blessing to someone who needs us.

Go here to read further Gospel reflection.