July 14, 2013

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Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 105

Reading 1DT 30:10-14

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.”

God created us for good.  To do the good works of love for our fellow man.  Every man, even the atheists who does not believe in God has this purpose written within him to do good.

Pope Francis recently said, "Francis explained himself, "The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart, do good and do not do evil. All of us. 'But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good.' Yes, he can... "The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ, all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone!" We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there."  

Responsorial PsalmPS 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37

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.
R. 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.

In your need, call out to God for help.  God will save you.  Remember that the most important aspect of salvation is spiritual.  This world is but dung compared to the goodness which those who love God will receive in heaven.

OrPS 19:8, 9, 10, 11

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.

God's commandments are perfect.  Do them and you will live.  The Scripture says, repeatedly:

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.  13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.  15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

So, don't hesitate to do good in obedience to the Word of God.  

Reading 2COL 1:15-20

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation.

We are the image of God because Jesus Christ, God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, already existed before time was created:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2 The same was in the beginning with God.

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.

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

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.

Jesus Christ, God, humbled himself and became man, born of a virgin in the fullness of time.  And being born a man, He died on the Cross for our salvation.

GospelLK 10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him 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.”

Those are the two great Commandments.  The entire law of God is summarized therein.  Love God and love your neighbor.

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”

But the Scholar wanted to show off by perhaps asking a question which Jesus could not answer.  So Jesus taught him by the use of a parable.

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 Jewish man was robbed and left for dead.

A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

A priest came by, a holy man of God, but when he saw the injured man, he walked around him and did not help.

Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

Another priest, a Levite came by also, and he, another holy man of God passed the man as though he had not seen him.

But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.

But a Samaritan, a mortal enemy of the Jews, came by and saw the Jew laying half dead and was kind to him.

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.’

The Samaritan did everything in his power to help the man.

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.”

So, Jesus asked the scholar, which of these was a neighbor to the injured man?  The scholar recognized that the Samaritan had behaved as the neighbor.  So, Jesus advised him to go and do the same.