Posted on julio 14, 2025 View all Gospel Reflection
What is written in your heart?
In the readings for this week we have two important things to reflect upon. The first is do we keep God’s commandments and statutes? The second is do we treat others with mercy? These two questions go hand in hand. This is especially true since we know that we ourselves want to be treated with mercy if we fail to obey God’s commandments and statutes.
The first reading gives us that moment when Moses repeats to the people of Israel “heed the voice of the Lord, your God, and keep his commandments and statutes.” (Deut. 30:10) Moses, in fact, had told the people that they should keep the commandments which he gave to them so that they would be strong enough to enter in and take possession of the promised land. (cf. Deut. 11:8) Moses insisted to the people that the commandments were not something that were hard to find. He says they are not up in the sky, or across the sea nor are they mysterious and remote. In fact he says they are already in their hearts and in their mouths. They only have to carry them out.
This inscribing of the natural law is part of how St. Paul tells us that we were all created in the image of the invisible God. Jesus Christ is that firstborn of all creation, and in Him all things hold together. There is a bond created through nature that reflects that image and likeness of God in each one of us. But it is not enough just to have that in our hearts. We are called to put it into action. This essential need to have actions together with words of faith is illustrated in the parable that Jesus relates in the Gospel.
In the Gospel, the scholar of the law asked “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25) After he responds to Jesus’ question about the law, Jesus applauds him for his insightful response. But then the scholar asks “who is my neighbor?” and that is where Jesus gives the parable of the Good Samaritan. This parable has many things going on and in fact reasonable persons would have done what the priest and the Levite did in passing the injured traveler.
First it was foolhardy to travel that dangerous road alone. Second, contact with a dead person would make the priest unable to perform his duties and third, the Levite was probably afraid that it was a trap to ambush him and steal his money by others waiting in hiding. But the person who helps the traveler is the most unlikely character. Jesus has him as a Samaritan, the people who are separated from Israel.
In this parable Jesus illustrates that it is not enough to have faith and follow the commandments to the letter. There must be loving and corresponding actions of generosity. Salvation by faith alone is not sufficient. Love of God is intimately united to love of neighbor. And our neighbor is not limited to our circle of friends. We are called to love all whom we encounter regardless of if we agree with their life or lifestyle. This love does not mean we have to approve of sinful lifestyles, but it does mean we are called to love them, and hopefully through this love they will come to know God more and be drawn to walking according to God’s law. We have the Law, we have the words of Jesus Christ, let us live this Law with our hearts, our being, our strength and our minds, so that our actions may give flesh to our faith. In this way the Lord will strengthen us on our journey to the true promised land of heaven.
