We can appreciate the lessons of this Sunday's Gospel. A rich man is given a bountiful harvest, yet he desires nothing but to keep them all to himself. He becomes so consumed with the thought that since he worked hard for the harvest, he deserves to use them for his own benefit and just “rest, eat, drink, be merry!” God calls him “fool!”

Friends, pray and pray intentionally harder. St. John Marie Vianney recommends: “Spend three minutes praising and thanking God for all you have. Spend three minutes asking God’s pardon for your sins and presenting your needs before Him. Spend three minutes reading the Bible and listening to God in silence. And do this every day.” Amen.

We find a “doer” in the Gospel today. Martha welcomes Jesus by active service. It is not hard to imagine that her service includes preparing a meal and setting the table. She knows that Jesus and his disciples are tired, hungry and thirsty from their journey. She only wants to give them the best hospitality. After all, Jesus is more than just a guest; he is family to them.

This weekend, we hear the very famous Parable of the Good Samaritan. A man, who fell victim from robbers, lies on the ground. A priest and a Levite, who happen to be on the road, see him but decide to pass by on the opposite side. Then a Samaritan traveler also sees him, gives him first aid, and brings him to the nearest inn. Jesus asks, “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” The answer comes, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus gives the command: “Go and do likewise.”

“Today, the challenge facing America is to find freedom’s fulfilment in the truth: the truth that is intrinsic to human life created in God’s image and likeness, the truth that is written on the human heart, the truth that can be known by reason and can, therefore, form the basis of a profound and universal dialogue among people about the direction they must give to their lives and activities… Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought… We must guard the truth that is the condition of authentic freedom, the truth that allows freedom to be fulfilled in goodness.”