15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: JESUS HOLDS ALL THINGS TOGETHER: "Go and do likewise."
- Vincent Arisukwu
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
The Law Is Near: God’s Word Within Us
Moses prepares the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, not with distant laws or abstract commands, but with a reminder: “It is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” (Deut. 30:14) God’s commandments are not inaccessible or hidden. Scripture makes it clear that they are within us. The nearness of God’s commandments invites a response of love and action, seen in the story of the Good Samaritan.
Christ: The Center That Holds All Things Together
Saint Paul declares: “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:17) Our mission, our faith, and our charity find their meaning and coherence in Christ. A lack of sincere intimacy with Christ makes our actions empty routines. But with Christ, our faith becomes transformative. These make sense when we read his words, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (Jn. 15:5) We cannot love the neighbor truly unless we are rooted in the One who is love itself.
From Knowing the Law to Living the Law
The Jewish scholar in the Gospel knows the law well, but Jesus pushes him further: “Do this and you will live.” Sometimes we are like that. We know too much but do too little. Love is mostly in doing. Faith must move from head to heart. Jesus challenges us not to recite the law, but to live it through acts of mercy, compassion, and sacrifice.
Three Responses to Suffering: Priest, Levite, Samaritan
The wounded man is the test of love. The priest and the Levite walk by, possibly with justified reasons, but they miss the opportunity to embody the gospel. The Samaritan, by contrast, becomes the living commandment:
He is moved with compassion.
He acts immediately and personally.
He sacrifices time, effort, and resources.
He does as God would do… whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers…
True discipleship is responsive and relational.
“Go and Do Likewise”: The Call to Concrete Charity
Jesus concludes: “Go and do likewise.” It is not enough to know what is right. We must act. Each day presents us with people in need: emotionally, physically, or spiritually. Do we see them? Or do we rush on only to realize too late that we missed our appointment with grace? We might be catching up with our work schedule. We might be rushing to meet up with our hairstylist. We might be hurrying to take kids to their baseball games or any other sports. These are all important, but we might miss so many opportunities while on the move. What is God presenting before us in the course of our busyness?
Christ in the Neighbor: The Source of True Compassion
Jesus teaches us to see the face of God in the wounded, the broken, and the stranger. As Mother Teresa powerfully said: “I see Jesus in every human being... I serve because I love Jesus.” Our capacity to love our neighbor is directly tied to our communion with Christ. Only in him can we overcome our ego, our busyness, and our fears. To be effective missionaries of love, we must first be rooted in Christ, the one who holds all things together. When we allow his love to dwell in us, we become his instruments. We are ready to “go and do likewise,” once we see in every person the face of Jesus. Then we can respond with mercy like the Good Samaritan. Mercy overrides schedule.
Readings: Deut. 30:10-14 | Col. 1:15-20 | Lk. 10:25-37
Reflection Questions
Do I realize that a deep union with Jesus is the source of my strength and compassion?
Who is the wounded person in my path today—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—and how am I responding?
(Am I like the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan in my daily encounters?)
What concrete steps can I take this week to “go and do likewise,” living my faith through acts of love, not just words or intentions?
(How can I make compassion more than a feeling and turn it into action?)