What can I do to inherit eternal life?

Every Sunday, our Mother Church offers us the Liturgy of the Word, which serves as a guide—“a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105)—for the week ahead. The readings for daily Masses, too, are inspired by the Sunday Liturgy of the Word. Thus, in alignment with the traditions established by our predecessors, Fr. Samuel and I shall present a series of thoughtful reflections on the Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word in our weekly bulletins. These insights aim to serve as a guiding framework as we navigate our journey toward holiness.

In this Sunday’s gospel, we encounter a Scribe who poses a fundamental question to Jesus: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds by emphasizing that it is essential to observe the commandment of love in its entirety. The scribe’s subsequent inquiry, “Who is my neighbor?” leads Jesus to share the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The parable illustrates effectively how we ought to embody the commandment of love in our daily lives. A priest and a Levite, each in turn, encountered a wounded man yet chose to pass by without offering help or compassion. Despite their wealth and ability to assist, they remained indifferent to their neighbor in need.

Why did they not have time to attend to this wounded man? Perhaps they were too busy, each in a hurry to reach a specific destination, complete a particular task, or keep an important appointment. Could these reasons also explain why, at times, I excuse myself from doing what I should as a Christian? Have I turned a deaf ear to someone who cried out desperately for help or a blind eye to someone who extended a hand in need?

A Samaritan, while traveling on the same road, was moved with compassion. He provided first aid to the wounded man and took him to an inn for further medical care. In those circumstances, the Samaritan acted appropriately and in a timely manner, doing what was necessary and striving to do it in the best possible way. Let us resolve to do the same. You don’t need to offer money or resources or accomplish great things like a Biblical Samaritan; instead, share a word of comfort with someone in sorrow, a message of hope to someone in despair, guidance to someone feeling lost, a prayer for someone in need, or a smile to someone who feels overlooked. Mother Teresa famously said, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."

In sum, let us remember that every generous act we perform and every instance of help we provide reflects the compassion and generosity of the Good Samaritan, which will be abundantly rewarded by God.

In God’s service and yours,

Fr. Thomas Kagumisa

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