15th Sunday of the Year (C)

15th Sunday of the Year (C), July 14, 2013

Liturgical readings
Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Psalm 69
Colossians 1:15-20
Luke 10:25-37

"Then go and do the same."



On one occasion


a lawyer stood up
to pose this problem
to Jesus:


"Teacher,
what must I do
to inherit everlasting life?"


Jesus answered him:


"What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"


He replied:


"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 your neighbor as yourself."


Jesus said,
"You have answered correctly.
Do this and you shall live."


But because he wished
to justify himself
he said to Jesus,


"And who is my neighbor?"


Jesus replied:


"There was a man
going down from Jerusalem
to Jericho
who fell in with robbers.


They stripped him,
beat him,
and then went off
leaving him half-dead.


A priest happened to be going down
the same road;
he saw him
but continued on.


Likewise
there was a Levite
who came the same way;
he saw him
and went on.


But
a Samaritan
who was journeying along
came on him
and was moved to pity
at the sight.


He approached him
and dressed his wounds,
pouring in oil and wine
as a means to heal.


He then hoisted him
on his own beast
and brought him to an inn,
where he cared for him.


The next day
he took out two silver pieces
and gave them to the innkeeper
with the request:


'Look after him,
and if there is any further expense
I will repay you on my way back'."


"Which of these three,
in your opinion,
was neighbor to the man
who fell in with robbers?"


The answer came,


"The one who treated him
with compassion."


Jesus said to him,


"Then go and do the same."


Scripture verses:
"This command is something very near to you, already in your hearts; you
have only to carry it out." (Deuteronomy 30)
"For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah." (Psalm 69)
"Christ is before all else that is. In him everything continues in being." (Colossians 1)

13th Sunday of the Year (C)

Inspire in Us the Practice of Good (2011-2013):

13th Sunday of the Year (C), June 30, 2013

Liturgical readings
1 Kings 19:16, 19-21
Psalm 16
Galatians 5:1, 13-18
Luke 9:51-62

"Jesus firmly resolved to proceed toward Jerusalem."



As the time approached
when Jesus was to be taken
from this world,


he firmly resolved
to proceed toward Jerusalem,
and sent messengers
ahead of him.


These
entered a Samaritan town
to prepare for his passing through,


but


the Samaritans
would not welcome him
because he was on his way
to Jerusalem.


When his disciples
James and John saw this,
they said,


"Lord,
would you not have us call down
fire from heaven
to destroy them?"


He turned toward them
only to reprimand them.


Then they set off
for another town.


As they were making their way along,
someone said to him,


        "I will be your follower
        wherever you go."


Jesus said to him,


        "The foxes have lairs,
        the birds of the sky have nests,
        but the Son of Man has nowhere
        to lay his head."


To another
he said,


        "Come after me."


The man replied,


        "Let me bury my father first."


Jesus said to him,


        "Let the dead
        bury their dead;
        come away and
        proclaim the kingdom of God."


Yet another said to him,


        "I will be your follower, Lord,
        but first
        let me take leave
        of my people at home."


Jesus answered him,


        "Whoever put his hand
        to the plow
        but keeps looking back
        is unfit for the reign of God."



Points for reflection and prayer:
"The Lord said to Elijah: 'You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat." (1 Kings)
"Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge." (Psalm 16)
"It was for liberty that Christ freed us." (Galatians)

12th Sunday of the Year (C)

Inspire in Us the Practice of Good (2011-2013):

12th Sunday of the Year (C), June 23, 2013

Liturgical readings
Zechariah 12:10-11
Psalm 63
Galatians 3:26-29
Luke 9:18-24

"He must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Christ."



One day
when Jesus was praying in seclusion
and his disciples were with him,
he put the question to them,


"Who do the crowds say that I am?"


"John the Baptizer,"
they replied,


"and some say Elijah,


while others claim
one of the prophets of old
has returned from the dead."


"But you
- who do you say that I am?"
he asked them.


Peter said in reply,
"The Messiah of God."


He strictly forbade them
to tell this to anyone.


"The Son of Man,"
he said
"must first endure many sufferings,
        be rejected by the elders,
        the high priests
        and the scribes,
and be put to death,
and then be raised up on the third day."


Jesus said to all:
"Whoever wishes to be my follower
must deny his very self,
take up his cross each day,
and follow in my steps,


Whoever would save his life
will lose it,
and
whoever loses his life
for my sake will save it."


Points for reflection and prayer:
"And they shall look on him whom they have thrust through." (Zechariah)
"O God, you are my God whom I seek." (Psalm 63)
"Each one of you is a son of God because of your faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians)