The Gospel for Monday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Luke 10th chapter 25th to the 37th verse. There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus said to him, what is written in the law? How do you read it? He said in reply, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. He replied to him, you have answered correctly, do this and you will live.

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus Christ, and who is my neighbor? Jesus replied, a man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped him and beat him and went off, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight.

He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins that gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back. Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robber’s victim? He answered, the one who is treated with mercy.

Jesus said to him, go and do likewise you. It’s interesting that it’s a scholar of the law that is asking this question of Jesus as to what is it I’m obligated to do? And it makes it clear Jesus does by saying, you must love God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. And so typical of a lawyer, he wants a fine definition of what a neighbor is. And Jesus makes such a beautiful statement by saying, the neighbor is you. You and the neighbor are one.

Being a neighbor to a neighbor is the heart of the love of the Gospel. The Closing Prayer Father, open our minds and our hearts to the suffering and the pain of those around us so that we can hold them in our heart and long for them to be freed. Bless us with that kind of compassion. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.