First Reading - Romans 9:1-5
Gospel - Luke 14:1-6
In the first reading, Saint Paul opens his heart in a rare moment of vulnerability. He speaks of his deep sorrow and anguish for his own people, the Israelites, who have not recognized Christ. Paul loves them so much that he even says he would be willing to be “cut off from Christ” if it could bring them salvation. This is not mere emotion; it is the echo of God’s own heart—a love so strong it is willing to suffer for the good of others. Paul reflects the very compassion of Christ, who gave His life so that we might live.
In the Gospel, we see that same compassion in action. Jesus heals a man suffering from dropsy on the Sabbath, confronting the hypocrisy of those who cared more about rigid rules than about a person’s pain. When He asks, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?” His question goes unanswered—not because they didn’t know, but because they lacked mercy. Jesus, however, shows that love must always take precedence over formality; compassion must triumph over convenience.
Dear friends, true faith is not measured by how strictly we follow laws or traditions, but by how deeply we love and how ready we are to act for others’ good. Paul’s heartfelt anguish and Jesus’ healing gesture remind us that compassion is not passive—it is a movement of the heart that leads to action, even when it costs us something.
Looking at the people around us—the sick, the struggling, the forgotten—and asking ourselves: do I respond like Christ? Do I allow compassion to move me, even when it inconveniences me? Or do I, like the Pharisees, hide behind excuses or indifference? The call today is to live faith not as a rulebook but as a relationship—a relationship with God that overflows into mercy toward others.
We become most like Christ when we love as He loves—when we let our hearts break for others, when we choose mercy over judgment, when we act with tenderness instead of pride. True holiness is found not in avoiding the mess of human suffering, but in stepping into it with compassion.
May we, like Paul, carry others in our hearts with sincere love, and like Jesus, never hesitate to do good, no matter the day or the cost. For in every act of compassion, we make God’s love visible in our world—and that is the true meaning of faith.
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