www.stjames-mountrainier.org
 
On this Sunday, the liturgy once again proposes for our meditation the Gospel episode of Jesus’ visit to the house of Martha and Mary (cf. Lk 10: 38-42). While Martha is totally taken up with household tasks, Mary is seated at the Master’s feet listening to his word. Christ affirms that Mary “has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (Lk 10: 42). Listening to the Word of God is the most important thing in our lives.
Christ is always in our midst and desires to speak to our hearts. We can listen to him by meditating with faith on Sacred Scripture, by recollection in private and communal prayer, by silent meditation before the Tabernacle, from which he speaks to us of his love. All this is part of what has been traditionally called the interior life.

We can define the interior life as follows: It is a supernatural life which, by a true spirit of abnegation and prayer, makes us tend to union with God and leads us to it.

When, through the action of the Holy Spirit, God takes up his dwelling in the heart of the believer, it becomes easier for him/her to serve the brethren. This is what happened in a unique and perfect way in Mary Most Holy. To her we entrust this vacation period, to make the most of it as a favorable time to rediscover the primacy of the interior life.


Fr. Pablo Muñoz Iturrieta, IVE

 
 
This parable of the Good Samaritan belongs to the Gospel of suffering.
And it was through this parable that Christ wished to give an answer to the question: “Who is my neighbor?” For of the three travelers along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, on which there lay half-dead a man who had been stripped and beaten by robbers, it was precisely the Samaritan who showed himself to be the real “neighbor” of the victim: the person who carried out the commandment of love of neighbor. Two other men were passing along the same road; one was a priest and the other a Levite, but each of them “saw him and passed by on the other side”. The Samaritan, on the other hand, “saw him and had compassion on him. He went to him... and bound up his wounds “, then “brought him to an inn, and took care of him”. And when he left, he entrusted the suffering man to the care of the innkeeper, promising to meet any expenses.

The parable of the Good Samaritan belongs to the Gospel of suffering, for it indicates what the relationship of each of us must be towards our suffering neighbor.


Fr. Pablo Muñoz Iturrieta, IVE
 

www.stjames-mountrainier.org