Gospel: October 6, 2025
October 6, 2025 (Monday)
27th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 (Green/White)
St. Bruno, priest
Jonah 2:3, 4, 5, 8
You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
1st Reading: Jonah 1:1-2:1-2, 11*
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
Then a teacher of the law came and began putting Jesus to the test. And he said, “Master, what shall I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” The man answered, “It is written: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus replied, “What a good answer! Do this and you shall live.” The man wanted to justify his question, so he asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus then said, “There was a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him and went off, leaving him half-dead. It happened that a priest was going along that road and saw the man, but passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite saw the man, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan also was going that way; and when he came upon the man, he was moved with compassion. He went over to him, and cleaned his wounds with oil and wine, and wrapped them in bandages. Then he put him on his own mount, and brought him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day, he had to set off; but he gave two silver coins to the inn keeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and whatever you spend on him, I will repay when I return.’”
Jesus then asked, “Which of these three, do you think, made himself neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The teacher of the law answered, “The one who had mercy on him.” And Jesus said, “Then go and do the same.”
Reflection:
“Good works should abound where there is true love of God.”
Saint Bruno was born in Cologne around 1030, and after great success in his studies, he became a member of the Canons Regular, professor of Scripture and principal of the Cathedral School of Rheims. However Bruno and six friends were later granted land in the Alps near Grenoble to establish a monastery, where they began a form of monastic life which focused on solitude, simplicity and silence, leaving everything to seek God. Thus, Bruno founded the Carthusians. Such fervent searching for God and deep love for him does not exclude love of neighbor or fraternal love. Indeed, if this were missing, such a search for God would become selfish. Christ’s parable of the Good Samaritan applies to all members of the Church, whatever their vocation, since we are called to serve Christ in our neighbor and so be a friend and neighbor to in the poor, the needy, the sick, the suffering. As our love of God increases through prayer, our love of neighbor should also increase. And so, prayer and contemplation are not opposed to good works.
