Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: October 9, 2023

Date in the Ordine: Monday of the 27th Week 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 taken from the Gospel of Luke begins with Jesus being tested on the law by a scholar. Jesus turns the question back on the scholar who responds with the recitation of the two greatest commandments calling us to love the LORD with all we have and are and to love one another as ourselves. Jesus assures the scholar that if he does this, lives this, he will have eternal life.

But the scholar presses Jesus, perhaps to find wiggle room for himself in living the commandments and asks Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds with the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan. We know it well, a man going down to Jericho from Jerusalem (meaning he is Jewish) is robbed and left for dead. Three come along the same path: a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan. The first two, fellow Jews, pass by at a distance, perhaps not wanting to be tainted, to risk being unclean or impure because of contact with the man bloody and dirty or perhaps out of lack of empathy or compassion. But the Samaritan, an arch enemy of the Jews, stops, tends to the injured man, and takes him to lodging for future recovery, even promising to pay for the injured man’s needs.

Certainly, the scholar quizzing Jesus was surprised by the parable and its truth. We are called to love one another regardless of our ethnicities, professions, or creeds.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How much of myself do I truly give over to the LORD in love? And how much am I willing to give for my sister or brother in need?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son, Most Holy Spirit, we praise You for your power and presence, manifestations of your great and abiding love. We beg of You for help in living into the ones You created us to be, call us to be as disciples, and gift us to be throughout our lives. Tenderize our willful resistance to your love and grace; make of us not only receptive children of will but also compassionate disciples loving one another as You have loved us. Give us the vision to see within others our sisters and brothers. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.