The WORD today reminds me that I know what God wants from me - to love him through others.
There are a lot of questions in life that we don't know the answer to. There are a lot of things we do not understand. There are a lot of events in which we do not know God's reasons for. We sometimes feel that we do not know God's plans for us. However, there is something we know. We know what God wants from us.
God wants us to love him through others.
In the gospel, we see a man asking Jesus what he should do to have eternal life. He answered by telling the man the basics - to love God with everything, and to love others. However, when Jesus was asked who we should love, he told the story of the good samaritan. The samaritan, an outcast at that time, helped the man. He helped even though he could have opted not to bother himself with him. He helped even if people like the man treated him wrong. He helped because he can. We should too.
Jesus told the man to be like the Samaritan. To go out of our way to help others. Even though the person may not exactly deserve our help. Even though it is painful to help. Even though we may have experienced bad things because of the person. We help because we can. We help because God wants us to. We help because we should extend God's mercy to others. We help because we have experienced God's love and mercy ourselves, and we want others to experience it too.
Love for God should be concretized through serving others.
It is easy to say we love God. It is easy to say we want to serve him. But living it is another thing. God wants us to live our faith. God wants us to love others and make his love more real and more alive in this world.
The first reading reminds us that we know what God wants. We need not be geniuses or scholars of the law to know what he wants. It's simple. It's explicit. He just wants us to love him through others. It may not be easy all the time, but as we experience his love, and as we take in his love, we want to profess it and make it alive in the world by loving and serving others. All his creation, especially despite our differences with others.
Do I love God? In what way? How do I show my love for him? Am I willing to love my neighbor because God asked me to?
May we be moved to concretize our love for God by loving and serving others.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another reminder. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for all the blessings. Lord, sorry for the times I ignore you and your love. Sorry for the times I fail to show my love for you. Sorry for being lazy to step out of my comfort zone snd love and serve others. Lord, help me live my faith. Help me profess my love for you by loving and serving others. I want to make your love more alive and more real in this world. As you love me, I will love and serve others to show you I love you as well. Amen.
Blessed Sunday!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
Daily Readings
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 105
Reading 1
Moses said to the people:
"If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God,
and keep his commandments and statutes
that are written in this book of the law,
when you return to the LORD, your God,
with all your heart and all your soul.
"For this command that I enjoin on you today
is not too mysterious and remote for you.
It is not up in the sky, that you should say,
'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?'
Nor is it across the sea, that you should say,
'Who will cross the sea to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?'
No, it is something very near to you,
already in your mouths and in your hearts;
you have only to carry it out."
"If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God,
and keep his commandments and statutes
that are written in this book of the law,
when you return to the LORD, your God,
with all your heart and all your soul.
"For this command that I enjoin on you today
is not too mysterious and remote for you.
It is not up in the sky, that you should say,
'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?'
Nor is it across the sea, that you should say,
'Who will cross the sea to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?'
No, it is something very near to you,
already in your mouths and in your hearts;
you have only to carry it out."
Responsorial Psalm
R. (cf. 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness:
in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness:
in your great mercy turn toward me.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
R.(9a) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Reading 2
Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
""Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?""
Jesus said to him, ""What is written in the law?
How do you read it?""
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.""
He replied to him, ""You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.""
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
""And who is my neighbor?""
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.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
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.
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.'
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers' victim?""
He answered, ""The one who treated him with mercy.""
Jesus said to him, ""Go and do likewise.""
""Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?""
Jesus said to him, ""What is written in the law?
How do you read it?""
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.""
He replied to him, ""You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.""
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
""And who is my neighbor?""
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.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
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.
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.'
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers' victim?""
He answered, ""The one who treated him with mercy.""
Jesus said to him, ""Go and do likewise.""
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