GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 3RD OCTOBER 2016
MONDAY OF THE 27TH WEEK IN ORDINAY TIME
1ST READING: Galatians 1:6-12
PSALM: Psalm 111:1-2, 7-10
GOSPEL: Luke 10:25-37
THEME: BOUNDLESS LOVE
Different people use different yardsticks to measure holiness. For some, a holy person is one who prays a lot; for others, holiness is knowing the Sacred Scriptures very well and being able to teach or preach eloquently. There are some who equate holiness with having a calm disposition and a smile always on one’s face. These are good but it appears holiness goes deeper than that. We can infer from the Gospel text that the true measure of holiness is the love with which one responds to the needs of another person.
The victim of robbery in our Gospel text is described as “half-dead”. Could that be the reason why the priest and the Levite bypassed him and did not attend to him? Were they avoiding ritual defilement? Were they so faithful in keeping the law (cf. Num 19:16-22) that they missed the goal of the law – love?
The Samaritan traveller, on the other hand, was moved with compassion (cf. Lk. 10:33) and all that he did for the victim was an expression of this deep love within. With reference to this Samaritan traveller, Jesus says, “Go and do likewise” (Lk. 10:37).
Sometimes, in pursuit of holiness, we keep the law but not love. In the name of “holiness”, love has been killed on many occasions. However, holiness is not just law-keeping but above all love-keeping. Holiness, like a coin, has two sides – love of God and love of neighbour. You cannot claim to have one and not the other. You either have both or nothing. A holy person is one who is filled with boundless love.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have called me to pursue the path of holiness. Give me a heart full of love. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).