“Moses said to the people: ‘If only you would heed the voice of the Lord, your God, and keep His commandments … when you return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul.’” (Deuteronomy 30:10)
Reflections on the readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 10, 2022): DT 30:10-14; PS 69:14,17,30-31,33-34,36,37; COL 1:15-20; LK 10:25-37
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
The heart of our Lord is wide enough, high enough, deep enough to hold us all, every single one.
Today’s readings from both the Old Testament and from the Gospel tell us that the essence of the law of God is love. Yet with the coming of Christ we are now called to express our love with a new liberty. “Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God. … And in Him all things hold together. … He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He Himself might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile all things for Him, making peace by the blood of His cross through Him, whether those on earth and those in heaven” (Colossians 1:15,17,18-20). Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of Mary. He allowed Himself to be crucified to break the bonds that attach humankind to sin and death.
In that citation from Colossians we hear what is basically an ancient hymn to Christ; a beautiful message about our Redeemer who is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The King of the Universe, Jesus reconciles all things to Himself. Realizing that we are joined with Him in a special way, we see that we are truly members of His Body. According to Pope Benedict XVI: “Christ is the principle of cohesion, the mediator, and the final destiny toward which the whole of creation converges. He is the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29), namely the Son par excellence in the great family of the children of God, in which baptism inserts us. … The hymn moves us to the conclusion celebrating the fullness which Christ has in Himself as gift of love of the Father. It is the fullness of the divinity which shines whether in the universe or in humanity, becoming source of peace, unity and perfect harmony.” This should encourage us to recognize our ties to our brothers and sisters in the Church. Having this gift of faith should also urge us to draw others into this profound relationship with Jesus. We need to understand the depth of His love for each and every person who lives, who has lived or who will live on the face of the earth. The heart of our Lord is wide enough, high enough, deep enough to hold us all, every single one.
Suggested missionary action: Let us thank God -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- for the gift of Himself and for the gift of all His children. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters that we may all spend eternity together with our loving God.