Fr. Gabriel UDOH

Dear brothers and sisters, today's readings focus on living out God’s Word in everyday life. It encourages faith in action, love for others, and seeing Christ as the center of all creation.

Let us throw light on the Following:

Obeying God’s Word: God’s commandments are clear and close to us. The first reading reminds us that following God’s will is not beyond our reach.

Christ at the Center: The second reading highlights Jesus as the foundation of creation and our faith. Everything exists through Him and is united in Him. (cf Acts 17: 28)

Loving Your Neighbor: The Gospel calls us to love others, especially those in need or who do not belong to our clique, tribe, culture, language or country. The story of the Good Samaritan challenges us to show kindness and mercy.

Faith in Action: Faith is not just about knowing God’s Word. The readings show that faith comes alive when we live it out through our actions.

Compassion for Others: The Good Samaritan shows what compassion looks like. It is true love for God which  means caring for people, even strangers or those we find hard to love.

 The first reading; teaches that God’s Word is already in our hearts. We can live it out if we listen and choose to follow it.

Jesus as the Source of Unity: The second reading shows Jesus as the one who holds all things together. (cf Job12:10).                  Our faith unites us with Him and with one another.

Jesus calls us to serve others with compassion and care. The reflection explains that simple daily actions, like listening, sharing, support, availability, accommodation,  correction, encouragement e.t.c are some  examples of ways to live out love. Furthermore, when we put love at the center, we move beyond following rules and start living with purpose.         

True faith begins with love: In other words, loving our neighbor requires attentiveness and a willingness to act when someone is in need without counting the cost.      Again, looking closely; the 1st reading emphasizes the moral law.  Moral law comes from God as a gift to guide us in choosing what is good, and avoiding harm. This connects to Moses’ words that God’s commands are already in our hearts. By following moral law, we grow closer to God and live in ways that respect others.

The moral law is not just a set of rules. It helps us understand right from wrong and build a just and loving community of Gods people.

Furthermore, we are reminded that loving God and our neighbor fulfills the purpose of moral law. In a nutshell, The Gospel today, highlights Jesus’ compassion, love, and concern for the poor and outcasts.   Jesus challenges us to go beyond social and cultural divisions, showing that God’s love is for everyone not for some selected few. 

The parable of the Good Samaritan; reveals Jesus as the healer of fallen humanity. Just as the man in the story is wounded and helpless, we are all weakened by sin & fall short of the glory of God ( Romans 3 :23)

Jesus, like the Samaritan, comes to save us when no one else can. He pours healing into our wounds, especially through the sacraments of the Church. We are reminded that as Jesus saves us, we are called to be like Him by bringing compassion and healing to others. This is why Scott Hahn reminds us that we are to love others as we have been loved by God. In addition; limitless love leads us to eternal life.