Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
27TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (/White)
Our Lady of the Rosary
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 111: 1b-2, 7-8, 9, 10c: The Lord will remember his covenant forever.
1st Reading: Galatians 1: 6-12
I am surprised at how quickly you have abandoned God, who called you, according to the grace of Christ, and have gone to another gospel.
Indeed, there is no other gospel, but some people, who are sowing confusion among you, want to turn the gospel of Christ upside down.
But even if we, ourselves, were giving you another gospel, different from the one we preached to you, or if it were an angel from heaven, I would say: let God’s curse be on him!
As I have said, I now say again: if anyone preaches the gospel in a way other than you received it, fire that one! Are we to please humans or obey God? Do you think that I try to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
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 of it; but it came to me, as a revelation from Christ Jesus.
Gospel: Luke 10: 25-37
Then a teacher of the law came and began putting Jesus to the test. And he said, “Master, what shall I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What is written in the law? How do you understand 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 replied, “What a good answer! Do this and you shall live.” The man wanted to justify his question, so he asked, “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 off, leaving him half dead.
It happened that a priest was going along that road and saw the man, but passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite saw the man, and passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan also was going that way; and when he came upon the man, he was moved with compassion. He went over to him, and cleaned his wounds with oil and wine, and wrapped them in bandages.
Then he put him on his own mount, and brought him to an 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 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.”
REFLECTION:
“Who is my neighbor?”
Pope Francis’ Encyclical Fratelli Tutti challenges us to participate in fostering social love in our world today. This Encyclical was signed by His Holiness on October 3, 2020. We may remember that during that time, our activities were halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the observance of the required health protocols, one of the most used phrases was “social distancing.”
However, the socially-aware individuals suggested not to use the phrase “social distancing.” Rather, the phrase “physical distancing should be used. We can be physically distant to one another in order to observe the necessary health protocols but remain socially close and connected. In the same Encyclical, Pope Francis elaborates on the story of the Good Samaritan in Chapter Two of Fratelli Tutti, titling the said chapter as “A Stranger on the Road.” His Holiness emphasizes that the only way to rebuild a wounded world is to emulate the action of the Good Samaritan.
He had mercy and cared for the stranger lying half dead on the road. He practiced social vicinity. He exercised social love.
Today’s Gospel challenges us to do the same.
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