Daily Gospel Reflection for July 14, 2019 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Gospel: Luke 10:25-37 - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time In contemplating the story of the Good Samaritan, I always allow my mind to wander to this thought: “Do I always treat other people this way? Do I always come to their aid, assume the best in them, and do everything I can to make them feel better, both physically and emotionally?” The short answer is: “I hope so! I certainly try!” Inevitably, though, I can easily fall short of maximizing my full potential of mercy towards others. Like everyone else, I have experienced hurt at the hands of other people, and consequently, it can be hard to trust again, and fully give of yourself. At this stage of my life, I have come to recognize that even while using common sense and guarding our hearts with prayerful discernment and intuition, we can still fully extend mercy to others. Like the Good Samaritan, we can bandage the wounds of others, and assure that their needs are met without hesitation. Staying in prayer, allowing this Gospel story and Jesus’s guiding hand to steer us, and with faith in God’s plan for all involved, we can always be a beacon of hope and light to another. We should not allow fear to hold back everything that we have to give. The Divine Mercy chaplet is an excellent prayer aid in our aspirations towards mercy! Let us contemplate and celebrate the power of faith over fear.

Ponder:

In what way can I incorporate a prayer and/or a reminder to extend inexhaustible mercy towards others into my daily conversation with God?

Pray:

Lord, You show us Your mercy every single day, and I know that I am made in Your image. Please give me the wisdom and faith to always extend mercy to my fellow human beings, in all circumstances.