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First Reading: Gal 1:6–12
Brothers and sisters:
I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking
the one who called you by the grace of Christ
for a different gospel (not that there is another).
But there are some who are disturbing you
and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach to you a gospel
other than the one that we preached to you,
let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again,
if anyone preaches to you a gospel
other than the one that you received,
let that one be accursed!
Am I now currying favor with human beings or God?
Or am I seeking to please people?
If I were still trying to please people,
I would not be a slave of Christ.
Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 111:1b-2, 7-8, 9 and 10c
R./ The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or: 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: 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: 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: Alleluia.
Gospel Reading: Lk 10:25-37
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 Scripture? 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 keep up appearances, so he replied, "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, too, was going that way, and when he came upon the man, he was moved with compassion. He went over to him and treated his wounds with oil and wine and wrapped them with 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 told him: 'Take care of him and whatever you spend on him, I will repay when I come back.'"
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, "Go then and do the same."
Dear friends,
I hope you’re having a lovely week! We’ve got some great reading ahead of us this week, as we’ll be looking at some key passages from St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. Paul, bless him, is tackling a tricky issue today. It’s the confusion caused by people preaching a different gospel to the one Jesus taught. This is something that has been around for a very long time. This can happen when our preaching (or our criteria, or our point of view) is shaped more by our own unique understanding of God and living the faith, or by a psychological projection, than by the common sources of God’s revelation. It’s so easy to get caught up in wanting to impose ourselves on others, or to be accepted, or to justify our ideas, or to make ourselves feel better about our own mediocrity. And that’s often what we consider evangelical to be. We all do it! We get carried away with ourselves and start using phrases like: It’s so important to remember that the Gospel is clear on this point. We have to be careful not to get caught up in our own ideas and interpretations. The Gospel itself is what we should be focusing on. The Gospel can sometimes come across as quite demanding, but it is also, at its heart, a message of profound liberation. It speaks to people’s minds and also to their hearts, asking them to think and to choose. Jesus has all the power in the world to ‘impose’ the gospel by decree law, because he does. He is the one in charge, and yet he proceeds by way of seduction. We can see this in today’s Gospel, my friends. Let’s focus our attention on the questions that Jesus asks the Teacher of the Law, rather than on the parable of the Good Samaritan itself. What does the law say? What do you read in it, my friend? I’d love to know your thoughts on which of these three people behaved as a neighbour to the one who fell into the hands of the bandits. And I’d also like to make two suggestions: ‘Do this and you will have life’, ‘Go and do likewise’.
Jesus doesn’t tell this story to make the teacher of the law feel bad. He wants to connect with the best in this man and show him a wider horizon. He wants to share the good news with him, because he knows it will bring him life.
Just imagine how different the gospel would sound in us if it were to emerge in this way! Rather than being used as a weapon to serve our interests, however noble they may appear, it would be an instrument of liberation, a manifestation of the love of God who wants to reach the heart of each person. God wants ‘all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth’. And it would never be imposed or forced upon anyone. It would be presented as a gift, a wonderful gift of freedom and personal discovery.
Godgossip
Opening Prayer
Our God and Father,
in signs and stories
your Son Jesus made it clear to us
that love of you and our neighbor
is the heart of the Christian life.
Make it indeed clear and obvious to us
that anyone in need is our neighbor
and that in serving those around us
we love and serve you,
our Lord and God for ever.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
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 Introduction
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 neighbor? Anyone who needs me, whoever he or she may be. And "go and do the same."
General Intercessions
- 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 neighbors 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 for ever.
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 neighbor is any person who needs us. May the loving and almighty God bless you all, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
