The Liturgy this Sunday takes us to the very heart of how we are called to live fully human lives as the Body of Christ alive in the world today.
We are reminded in the First Reading that God is near us. His Word is in our hearts and on our lips so that we can proclaim it to the world. He is God within us and all around us.
This concept is explained further in the letter to the Colossians. ‘Christ is the beginning and the centre of all things, forever expressed throughout creation. Christ is in all that we see and all that is known to us, and is also in all that is hidden and beyond our human understanding.’ As a community of believers in God’s law of love, we are Christ in the world today, united as one through him. The Psalm expresses our yearning for God’s mercy and love. He is a God who is always reaching towards us with the same love.
In the Gospel Jesus is responding to the question who is my neighbour? Jesus’ response through a parable challenges us to take our faith to a deeper level. We are called to love God with all our heart, soul and being, and this love is to be demonstrated not only in how we relate to ourselves but in how we relate to our neighbour. The action of a Good Samaritan is a demonstration of such love and Jesus wants us to be aware that his Spirit of love is being expressed in the world by people we might even hold in contempt. There are no limits to God’s love, and God will always find a way to break through the barriers of our fear and prejudice. This challenge may seem overwhelming, but we are not alone; we are one in Christ. Let us encourage and support each other through prayer, pouring oil onto the wounds of those injured in our faith communities, binding their wounds and confidently seeking God’s law of love.
Christian Action This Week: Try to reach out to the wounded people in your faith community and please pour onto their wounds oil of love. Bind their wounds with a welcoming and appreciative language. Try to appreciate those you might have treated with contempt. You can even make a bold step of asking for forgiveness.
Joy and Peace.
