By Fr Antony Christy, SDB –
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time – July 14, 2019
Deuteronomy 30: 10-14; Colossians 1: 15-20; Luke 10: 25-37
Religion has been traditionally considered a search for God, some of them are long-winded and some others super-human. The Liturgy today differs from this point of view and indicates to a Christian that living as a Christian is neither too hard nor too far off. Jesus Christ the Son of God has brought it so close to us, by becoming one of us and having lived out for us in his own life a model to be emulated, an example to be followed and a path to be retraced. Those who wish to take the unbeaten path need not worry, for this path traced by Jesus will forever remain unbeaten for not as many as enough dare take that path. The Challenge thus is alive for you and me today!
The Word of God is in my heart! What God wants of me, what really matters to lead a life worthy of the One who created me, is right within me! It is in the core of my being, because I am created in the image and the likeness of God (Gen 1:27) and having been created in God’s own image, I have within me all that is Godly…all that is characteristic of God, I have it embedded in the core of my being! If nothing hinders or distorts it, this is what I will manifest too in my daily life! This is what the book of Deuteronomy teaches us today in the first reading! In the exegesis by St. Paul on this passage from Deuteronomy – in Romans 10:6-7 – we hear the Apostle telling us, that we need not wonder how will we come to understand this inherent nature of ours – because we have Jesus Christ who has revealed it to us!
Christ came to reveal to us not merely who God was, but who we were; that we are the image and likenesses of God, that we are sons and daughters of a God who is love and compassion. A literal translation of the Hebrew version of Psalm 103, would read, “The Lord is compassion and love” (Ps 102(103):8) – not merely that God is compassionate and loving, but God is compassion and love! Christ was the visible image of this invisible God – Christ was the love of God personified, Christ was the living image of Compassion. He came to reveal to us, how much God loved us and how filled with compassion God is. Our call to be Christians is not a call to believe in some truths and adhere to some moral virtues, it is to live as Christ lived, to think as Christ thought, to feel as Christ felt, to love as Christ loved!
That is why Jesus did not stop with the two great commandments, he made them just one and said – “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34). According to Christ it is not enough to love the other as I love myself… but I am called to love the other as God loves me, as Christ loved me – that is, to love unconditionally, to love without counting the cost, to love even upto the death on the Cross!
That is a challenge! That is why when they asked Jesus who is my neighbour, Jesus did not answer them directly. He gave them a parable and made them reflect, to whom they have to be a neighbours! Yes, the Lord invites me today to be a neighbour to every person who is in need, every person who is suffering alone, everyone who is left to bleed on the pavements of the present world of insensitive globalisation, inhuman consumerism and heartless technological domination. I am asked to be a neighbour to everyone who is tired and heavy laden, everyone who is lonely and sick, sick in body, mind, heart and soul. Let me not ask anymore the stale question, who is my neighbour! If I am truly a Christian, I would ask a question more pertinent – TO WHOM SHOULD I BE A NEIGHBOUR…and the answer will be right before our eyes.
And the way to be a neighbour is what Jesus explains today! To be like himself, to feel for the other like Jesus, to live like Jesus, to love like Jesus: to BE LOVE, to BE COMPASSION – that is the most fitting way to be a Christian today.
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He is currently pursuing his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him.