15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time [C]

July 13, 2025

Luke 10:25-37

If we found ourselves in the same situation as the parable Jesus told, who would we become? Would we act like the priest and the Levites—ignoring and avoiding the wounded man altogether? Or would we, like the Samaritan, show mercy and help the one in need? Or would we do something entirely different?

In today’s digital age, equipped with high-tech gadgets, we might even do the unthinkable and unimaginable especially in Jesus’ time. Instead of helping, we might pull out our smartphones to record the scene, take a selfie with the victim, or even livestream the incident! As absurd as it sounds, this is not entirely far-fetched.

We are living two millennia after the Good Samaritan, and modern life has made it even harder to do good and help those in need. Before assisting someone injured on the street, we face countless doubts and uncertainties: Is this person truly hurt, or is it a scam? Could I get in trouble for helping? Do I even have time, with work and other responsibilities? The complexities of modern living often paralyze us, making it difficult to love our neighbors, especially those who need it most. So how should we respond?

1. Love for Others Is Love for God

We need to remember that loving our neighbors must be an expression of our love for God. We are called to love God wholeheartedly in all that we do. This means that working hard to provide for our families is an act of love for God, because God entrusted them to our care. Raising our children in wisdom and faith is an expression of devotion to Him because they are gifts from God. Even taking care of our bodies, through good food and habits, honors God, as our bodies are His blessing to us.

2. Know Your Priorities in Love

We are not superheroes; we can’t help everyone at once. Our first responsibility is to love those God has placed in our care. As parents, our primary duty is to protect, provide for, and educate our children. If we spend more time serving in church while neglecting our family, something is wrong. Only when we’ve fulfilled our primary responsibilities should we extend love and help to others which comes naturally.

3. Learn How to Love Well

After knowing who we need to love, then we need to know how to love them. Parenting, for example, demands total dedication. Why? God designed children to need more than just food, shelter, and clothing—they require emotional presence, role models, and constant guidance. Many mental health struggles in children today stem from absent parents—whether physically or emotionally—who assume money alone can solve everything.

Being a Good Samaritan starts at home. If we cannot love those closest to us, how can we truly love strangers?

Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Guide questions:

How do we love ourselves? How do we love our spouse? How do we love our children? How do we love our vocations? How do we see our priority of love?