Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Who Is My Neighbour?
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. The letter of Paul to the Galatians is a strong reaction that tries to safeguard the integrity of the gospel and of the young Church. The Judaizers, that is, a group of Jews converted to Christianity, alleged that new Christians had to accept the Jewish law and practices in order to be good Christians. What, then, about Christ and the cross?
Gospel. According to an old Jewish story, a father tells his small son: “I think that God made people because he likes to tell stories and he wanted someone to tell them to.” We have Jesus with us today to tell us the immortal story of the Good Samaritan. Who is my neighbour? Anyone who needs me, whoever he or she may be. And “go and do the same.”
Opening Prayer
Our God and Father,
in signs and stories
your Son Jesus made it clear to us
that love of you and our neighbour
is the heart of the Christian life.
Make it indeed clear and obvious to us
that anyone in need is our neighbour
and that in serving those around us
we love and serve you,
our Lord and God forever.
First Reading
There Is Only One Good News
I am surprised at how quickly you have abandoned God, who called you by the grace of Christ, and have turned to a different gospel.
Indeed, there is no other gospel, but some people are causing confusion among you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
But even if we, ourselves, were to preach to you a different gospel than the one we originally preached, or if an angel from heaven were to announce it, I would say: let God’s curse be on him!
As I have said before, I now repeat: if anyone preaches a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be cursed!
Are we trying to please people or obey God? Do you think I try to get human approval? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul’s Vocation
Let me remind you, brothers and sisters, that the gospel we preached to you is not a human message,
nor did I receive it from anyone. I was not taught about it, but it came to me as a revelation from Christ Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Then a teacher of the law came and began testing Jesus. He asked:
“Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus responded:
“What is written in the law? How do you interpret it?”
The man answered:
“It is written: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus said:
“That’s a good answer! Do this, and you will live.”
The man wanted to justify himself, so he asked:
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus then said:
“There was a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half-dead.
A priest was walking along that road and saw the man, but passed by on the other side.
So, likewise, a Levite saw the man and also passed by on the other side.
However, a Samaritan was traveling that way, and when he saw the man, he was moved with compassion.
He approached him, cleaned his wounds with oil and wine, and bandaged them. Then he placed him on his own animal and took him to a roadside inn, where he took care of him.
The next day, he had to set off; but he gave two silver coins to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him and whatever you spend on him, I will repay when I return.’”
Jesus then asked:
“Which of these three, do you think, made himself a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The teacher of the law answered:
“The one who had mercy on him.”
And Jesus said:
“Then go and do the same.”
Prayers of the Faithful
– For all ministers of the Church, that they may faithfully proclaim God’s word and God’s law and at the same time walk in God’s ways of compassion and love without measure, we pray:
– For all those who lie wounded by the road of life, that they may find good Samaritans who assist them to restore their faith in life and their trust in people, we pray:
– For all those who have been good neighbours to us, that the Lord may reward them, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
in these signs of bread and wine
your Son Jesus tells us the story
of how he has given his life for us.
Give him to us now,
that he may share with us
his strength to do as he did,
to give his and our life for all,
that we may live with him in your love,
now and forever.
Prayer after Communion
Our God and Father,
we give you thanks for Jesus,
your Son in our midst.
Like him, may we tell with our lives
the old story, ever new,
of how you want to care through us
for every person in need.
God, live in us,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
We have heard how Jesus wants to make us all good Samaritans, people who have time and attention, compassion and love, for everyone in need. Our neighbour is any person who needs us. May the loving and Almighty God bless you all, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Luke 10:25-37
Jonah and the Samaritan: Do you leave or do you stay?
I think Jonah is a very “endearing” prophet. Upon realising that the Lord is looking for him, he flees away from the Lord as far away as possible... a kind of "leave me alone" of biblical proportions; a simple and clear request for God Almighty not to mess him up. As I read this, I was reminded of some personal experiences we have when the Lord calls us... we do not want our lives to be shaken by the plans of God.
Still, God is more stubborn than any of us when it comes to our well-being and salvation. We feel attracted by God, as Augustine would say “you created us and our heart won’t rest until it finds you” …but we do not like “God ways”. Following the Lord should be easier, like sailing in a calm sea with a light breeze. Why are there storms? Or why is there such a dead calm?
Let’s see today’s gospel from this perspective. The answer to eternal life is to love God and love your neighbour. Go and do that… no more questions. So easy. The man, however, “willing to justify himself, asked Jesus: And who is my neighbour?” The quick answer: anyone other than you.
Jesus' response went deeper: anyone but especially those in need; if you find someone suffering like this in your life, put aside your life, your work, your beliefs and attend to his needs until the person recovers. In the eyes of the Lord, the Samaritan, despised by the Israelites, becomes the righteous one for doing what is right, regardless of what others believe. He discovered his neighbour in an unexpected place and situation and acted upon.
Samaritan also taught us something very important for Christians: we cannot solve problems alone, even less possess eternal life. We need others, and as St. Anthony Claret said to his friends, the secret is in “doing with others”; the Samaritan man involved others in the task, gave them an opportunity to possess eternal life.
Do I go out of my way to discover the neighbours around me? Am I eager to involve others in the mission work?