July 13, 2025

Dear People of St. Patrick Parish,

Have you ever thought about the question the scholar of the law asked Jesus in the Gospel today? What must I do to inherit eternal life?

First of all, we would have to understand what is eternal life and do I understand it, believe it, and think it is valuable enough to work my whole lifetime to achieve and know once I get it, it will never go away?

Second of all, we would have to really know, do we really love God with our whole heart and being, and with all our strength? That means from the heart and not just our mouth saying, “ I love you God, but I want to love you on my terms.”

Thirdly, perhaps the second part of Jesus’ answer to the scholar could really blow us out of the water, when we realize that we must love our neighbors as ourselves.

Does Jesus really mean I must love every human being and that I must help them and even pray for them and oh, my God, I must forgive them.

The example Jesus gave about the victim to robbers being cared for by the Samaritan trader who went above and beyond in showing mercy, should really make us think.

We look at God showing mercy to all His created people and we look at Jesus who died on the cross for God’s people.

Jesus tells us in this Gospel that if we do it correctly, “we will live.”

                          Who do I see as my neighbor?

·  The sick

·  The hungry

·  The homeless

·  The Immigrants

·  The depressed

·  The unloved

·  The one who may welcome us into heaven when our time comes.

God Bless,
Fr. Larry Young
Your Pastor