Catechism Links [1]
CCC 299, 381: man created in the image of God; the first-born
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| “The Good Samaritan” by Johann Karl Loth, 1676 |
“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.
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.”
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Commentary on Dt 30:10-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Commentary on Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
Or: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the Lord is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
rejoicing the heart;
the command of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
than a heap of purest gold;
sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Reading II: Colossians 1:15-20
the firstborn of all creation.
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.
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.
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Commentary on Col 1:15-20
CCC: Col 1:15-20 2641; Col 1:15 241, 299, 381, 1701; Col 1:16-17 291; Col 1:16 331; Col 1:18-20 624; Col 1:18 504, 658, 753, 343, 792; Col 1:20-22 2305
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Gospel: Luke 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.”
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 fromJerusalem 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.”
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Commentary on Lk 10:25-37
In this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel, we find Jesus being challenged by a person referred to as a “scholar.” It seems clear that this man has a good idea of how Jesus is likely to respond to his initial question about what he must do to inherit eternal life. As soon as the man tells Jesus what the law says, the scholar asks for still more clarification asking: “And who is my neighbor?”
The illustration Jesus uses in answering him does clarify the answer, and at the same time, uses a cultural tension to heighten the lesson. First a priest of the Jewish temple passes the victim of robbery (one who is most scrupulous in observing the letter of the law); next a member of the priestly class, a Levite, does the same. The one who helps the victim (presumably a Jew) is a member of the Samaritan culture, antagonists of the Jewish people. In this way, the Lord provides a moral lesson along with an explanation of the law.
"In this passage, Jesus praises and accepts the summary of the law given by the Jewish scribe. This reply, taken from Deuteronomy (6:4ff), was a prayer which the Jews used to say frequently. Our Lord gives the very same reply when He is asked which is the principal commandment of the law and concludes His answer by saying, ‘On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets’ (Matthew 22:40; cf. also Romans 13:8-9; Galatians 5:14).
"There is a hierarchy and order in these two commandments constituting the double precept of charity: before everything and above everything comes loving God in Himself. In the second place, and as a consequence of the first commandment, comes loving one's neighbor, for God explicitly requires us to do so (1 John 4:21; cf. notes on Matthew 22:34-40 and 22:37-38)." [7]
CCC: Lk 10:25-37 2822; Lk 10:27-37 1825; Lk 10:27 2083; Lk 10:34 1293
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Reflection:
Is there anyone who doubts that we are deep into the swamp of midsummer, step outside? Yet, God’s great gift of creation needs to be celebrated always. So we rejoice in his great gift to us, even as we celebrate the gift of his Only Begotten Son. As St. Paul says in his letter to the Colossians, “For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,” as we will shorty remind ourselves in the creed.
This weekend we are treated once more to the Gospel story from St. Luke of the Good Samaritan. This familiar parable is proceeded by the great prophet Moses who reminds the Hebrew people that “For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you.” Like much of Mosaic Law, it is very straight forward. While Moses does not explicitly say it in this passage, the Great Commandment given by Jesus is linked to it and is given once more in St. Luke’s Gospel:
“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.”
Moses was correct, was he not? This instruction was not difficult to understand. However, it is not always easy to live in our daily lives.
The Lord makes clear how difficult the Great Commandment is to live by using the parable of the good Samaritan. To appreciate how profound this lesson is, it is really important to understand the nature of the individuals described in the parable. First, we have the victim who is presumably Jewish. He is beaten, robbed and left severely injured by the side of the road. We say severely because he was not able to get up on his own and was called “half dead.” He is first observed by a priest who passes the injured man by. We must assume that if Jesus had asked this man what the greatest commandment of the law was, he would have responded as the “scholar of the law” who had responded to Jesus at the beginning of the reading. He knows his duty under Mosaic Law, yet he passed the injured man by.
Next on the scene was a Levite, also of a religious group within the Hebrew community, a countryman of the one who lay half dead by the side of the road he walked. Likewise, he would have been very aware of his duty under the law. Still, he passed the many by. Where was the compassion implicit in loving your neighbor as yourself?
Finally, a Samaritan happens on the injured man. Here we must understand that the use of the term “Samaritan” in modern English transforms this person as disposed to help the less fortunate. It derives from this very parable. In the time of Jesus, this Samaritan, a person from Samaria, would have been considered antagonistic to the Jews in the region of Jerico and Jerusalem where this story takes place.
Samaritans were considered heretics by Jews of the region outside of Samaria. The source of this antagonism was similar to the schism between the Christians of Constantinople and the Christians of Rome during the Crusades. Stemming from historic actions found in the First book of Samuel, Eli (1 Samuel 1:24ff) chose to build a temple in Shiloh with himself as high priest, rather than the historic site of Mount Gerizim. Later, the Shiloh temple was moved to the temple mount in Jerusalem. The Samaritans, who preferred to call themselves Israelite Samaritans and were in fact part of the historical Hebrew people. We have all observed how seemingly minor differences in religious practice and beliefs can establish long-term riffs. This was the case between the Jews of Jerusalem and the Israelite Samaritans.
Back to our parable. So, a Samaritan comes upon the injured man. Presumably, because the two would have been antagonistic toward each other, it was expected that the Samaritan would also pass the man by, yet he stopped to help. Beyond simply helping the man, Scripture tells us that:
“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.’”
And beyond that the Samaritan told the innkeeper if more money was needed the Samaritan would stand good for that amount as well. This was compassion, mercy, and generosity which would have been expected as if the injured man was a friend, a neighbor, or even a relative. The point of the parable is made, and the question is answered. Who is your neighbor? The person you are to love as yourself is any person in desperate need of help. Jesus makes the point of God’s law. If we which to follow the Lord as he has invited us to do, we are called to help those less fortunate with whom we come in contact, not pass them by.
Now I know at least some of us are thinking about those standing by the side of the exit ramps asking for money and thinking are these the people we need to help? Let’s take a page from our good Samaritan. Did he stop and put the silver coins in the hand of the half dead Jew by the side of the road? No, he went much further.
So, if you are traveling and happen to see someone needing help, and if you feel compelled to help them out of compassion and mercy, don’t simply hand them a five-dollar bill and drive on. Pull over and ask them if they need a meal or a place to stay. If they say yes, take them to a restaurant or a hotel and pay for a meal or a night. (I suspect most of those standing at the roadsides asking for money will not take you up on your offer but be prepared if they do. Oh, and never put yourself at risk, always have someone with you if you do decide to help someone in those circumstances.)
A better way to follow the Lord’s command would be to take advantage of out-reaches from Washtenaw Catholic Charities who do help the homeless with meals and places to stay. There are other charities as well that would welcome your time and participation, especially when many government-sponsored programs are being cut.
The moral of the parable of the good Samaritan is to listen to God’s law and follow it with your heart not just your lips. It is a great lesson for us all.
Pax
In other years on July 13th: Optional Memorial for Saint Henry
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture today is “The Good Samaritan” by Johann Karl Loth, 1676.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 780-81.
[6] See NAB Footnote on Colossians 1:15-20.
[7] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 423.
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Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
“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.”
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from
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.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:25-37
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Reflection:
the visible and the invisible,” as we will shorty remind ourselves in the creed.
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
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.’”
And beyond that the Samaritan told the innkeeper if more money was needed the Samaritan would stand good for that amount as well. This was compassion, mercy, and generosity which would have been expected as if the injured man was a friend, a neighbor, or even a relative. The point of the parable is made, and the question is answered. Who is your neighbor? The person you are to love as yourself is any person in desperate need of help. Jesus makes the point of God’s law. If we which to follow the Lord as he has invited us to do, we are called to help those less fortunate with whom we come in contact, not pass them by.
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture today is “The Good Samaritan” by Johann Karl Loth, 1676.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 780-81.
[6] See NAB Footnote on Colossians 1:15-20.
[7] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 423.
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