Monday of Week 27 in Ordinary Time
Gal 1:6-12
Lk 10:25-37
“…do this and life is yours.“
It was raining rather heavily one Sunday morning and I had my trusty umbrella sheltering me from the car to the church. A lady was also sheltering her elderly father with an umbrella. Then a car pulled up closer to the walkway and an elderly lady took her time to step out of the car. Because her elderly husband was at the wheel, I think she was betting on getting to the church in the rain with her walking stick. Fortunately, the lady with her father notices their friend and offered to shelter her as well. I was already walking ahead, thinking of the readings I had to lector, I just happened to look back as the elderly lady took up the offer. Three of them crowding under one umbrella was not going to work out very well, and without much hesitation, quite naturally, I walked back to shelter the elderly lady. I believe anyone in good spirit would have done the same, and that is not the point I am even trying to share today. As we were walking to the church’s entrance, she said to me, “Thank you, young man, you have done your good deed for the day.” My reply to her was, “Oh! This isn’t much, nothing at all, you are welcome.” To which she replied, “Oh no, no. It is important to do something good every day, and you have done yours already.”
When our Father in heaven laid down His laws for us, it was not to be applied to life after death and it was not something impossible for us to achieve. As the first reading reminds us, it certainly is not something beyond us to reach for. He has planned all to be done here in this life on Earth, as He had sent Jesus to die for us here on Earth. As my fellow parishioner had put it, do one good deed a day. It is not measured by how much it is worth in dollars, it is not measured by how many likes you get on Facebook and it is definitely not measured by how much the other person will love you back. It is much about making the other person’s life a little better, perhaps just for the moment, or just for today only. For the Samaritan in the Gospel, he has surely done his good deed for the day.
We probably do not have to look too far to lend a hand every day. Like myself, I may not have noticed the good that I had done because I am narrow-minded and had given little credit to my own actions. That is why it is written that it is never beyond us. Continue to love our neighbours, and when we are ready to take the next step, to even be able to reach out to a complete stranger in need. I wonder if my next challenge is to approach a homeless person and listen to his needs.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Austin Leong)
Prayer: Let us pray for those who are seeking help and feel lost. May they find someone who is able to make their life less of a struggle each day, and that they live happily in Jesus’ name.
Thanksgiving: We thank you for those who have reached out to help us in one way or another and those who have inspired us each day.
OXYGEN 
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