\u201cMaster, what must I do to inherit eternal life?\u201d (Lk 10:25). An apt question, and one we have all likely pondered. If I want to go to heaven, what must I do? The answer is simple, or at least seems simple: Follow the Law of God.<\/p>\n
The first reading from this Sunday reminds us that the Law of God is not so otherworldly or mysterious that we cannot know it, but is in fact very near to each of us. God has written his Law on our hearts and on our consciences. \u201cMy Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance\u201d (Dt 30:14). It is for this reason that even those who do not profess the Christian faith \u2013 or any faith \u2013 can still act morally and with virtue. God has gifted man with the wisdom to know right from wrong, good from evil, through the use of human reason. Later in the same chapter of Deuteronomy we hear that obeying the commandments of the Lord leads to life (cf. Dt 30:15). Clearly then, if we wish to inherit eternal life, we must follow the Law of the Lord. But what does it mean<\/em> to follow the Law?<\/p>\n In the Gospel, Jesus reveals what it truly means to follow the Law. We do not obey the commandments out of blind legalism (as the Pharisees do), but rather, by following the Law our hearts are opened to love our neighbours as we ought. Jesus reveals that the Law is a vehicle to teach us how to love properly. If we follow the Law, but fail to do so with charity and love, then our good deeds will be worthless. Love then, is what is required to inherit eternal life, as Jesus shows with the parable of the Good Samaritan. This kind of love is only possible by the Grace of God, which is external to the Law. God\u2019s grace is a free gift, and therefore cannot be merited by our obedience to the Law. That is why Jesus chose a Samaritan as the parable\u2019s central figure. The Samaritans did not follow the Law of Moses, as the Jews did; nevertheless, the Samaritan in today\u2019s parable exemplified extraordinary love for his neighbour in need, when no one else would. The Good Samaritan is he who goes out of his way to show love to those around him, even at great cost to himself. The Good Samaritan is he who puts the interests of others before his own.\u00a0 The Good Samaritan is he who wills the betterment of everyone he meets. This is what it means to \u201clove the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself\u201d (Lk 10:26). Ever fibre of our being must be oriented to loving each other.<\/p>\n This radical love is only possible with the help of God\u2019s grace. The Law disposes us to act rightly towards our neighbours, but to love others in a manner fit for heaven requires God\u2019s assistance. To inherit eternal life, God\u2019s grace must be at work in our lives.\u00a0 Faith opens our hearts to accept and cooperate with God\u2019s grace. The more we cooperate with grace, the wider our hearts will become so that we may love our neighbours as Jesus taught, and so that, following the example of the Good Samaritan, we may \u201cgo and do likewise\u201d (Lk 10:37).<\/p>\n Kevin Ponte<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta<\/p>\n Fot. Tamara Menzi\/Unsplash.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 15th\u00a0Sunday in Ordinary Time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":2079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,17,18],"tags":[77,142,205,117,204],"class_list":["post-2078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-strona-glowna-najnowsze","category-strona-glowna-slider","tag-grace","tag-kevin_ponte","tag-law","tag-moses","tag-neighbours"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n