Catholic Men’s Daily Devotional and Bible Study – 15th Week in Ordinary time – Sunday – Cycle C – Luke 10:25-37

Christ is asked by a lawyer, an expert in Mosaic law, about how to obtain eternal life. Asserting His authority, Christ questions the lawyer who accurately calls the 2 Great Commandments (v. 27) the key to eternal life; astoundingly, Jesus gives an insight into eternity by boldly revealing that by doing this, the lawyer will have eternal life.

Responding to lawyer’s question about the identity of one’s neighbor, Christ gives the timeless and powerful parable of The Good Samaritan. The parable is remarkable, tying in themes of violence and mercy, ethnic segregation and brotherly unity, religious blindness and true piety, the replacement of the Old Mosaic Law with the New Covenant, cowardly self-centeredness with heroic generosity.  In it, Christ reveals that His Kingdom is universal, unifying all men as brothers who accept Him and making heroic charity for one’s neighbor the standard for mercy and a key criteria for man’s salvation.

Awed by Jesus Christ – Son of God, Jesus fearlessly promotes the New Covenant of Holiness, purposefully casting legally observant Old Covenant Jews as the villains and a much-despised Samaritan as the hero.  Divine Teacher, Christ uses memorable parables that continue to intrigue and illuminate men over the millennia.  Son of God and Divine Judge, Christ reveals that, in the Judgment, He will save those who keep the 2 Great Commandments, implying that those who do not will die.

Being a Heroic Catholic Man

1)  Christ, seemingly a Jewish carpenter/rabbi, speaks and acts like God: He effortlessly handles a pedigreed expert in the law; He asserts His eternal view and dominion by telling  the lawyer that he can have eternal life; He completely upends the Old Covenant ceremonial laws and promotes a New Covenant in the parable. Reflect on Him and be awed.

2) Assailed by the malformed and the evil, there is a temptation to retreat into clinging to Catholic doctrine, pursuing piety and judging others. Christ calls Catholic men to fearlessly defend His Truth and to selflessly sacrifice one’s self to offer others His Mercy.  Pray for Christ to send the Holy Spirit to fill you with peace, joy and wisdom to become a modern day Good Samaritan.

3) The proliferation of “hero movies” underscores that many men are inspired by and desire to be heroic.  Reflect deeply on the The Good Samaritan and commit to imitate the heroic charity of the Samaritan in your life.

Spiritual Practices – Include in Today’s Prayers

Sacred Mystery of Rosary – The Glorious Mysteries

Daily Devotion – The Blessed Trinity

Virtue of the Day – Charity

Corporal Work of Mercy – To feed the hungry

Spiritual Work of Mercy – To admonish the sinner