Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: July 13, 2025

Date: 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Luke 10:25-37

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."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today recounts Jesus’ teaching of the Good Samaritan parable to a scholar of the law who was seeking to test Jesus. Jesus’ parable challenged the man, using characters who did not help a victim in need because of Mosaic laws of purity outshone by an unlikely character who acted with loving compassion toward one who in normal situations would have shunned him because of his ethnicity. It challenges us to see all as sisters and brothers, as neighbors, and treat them accordingly.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Do I judge others based on ethnicity, occupation, neighborhood? How can I open myself to others and see them more as the Father sees them, His children?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, You love us as your daughters and sons and your love for us is no where more evident than in your sending your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to share in our humanity in all ways except sin, and to offer himself selflessly as our redeemer. Send your Spirit to stir within us, to stoke the fire of your love within us all so that we may love more wholly and more purely all our sisters and brothers in Christ. Grant that we may see in others what You see in them and allow loving compassion to flow from us when we encounter others in need. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.