On this Feria III after the Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, we are presented with two profound passages: 2 Corinthians 3:4-9 and Luke 10:23-37. These readings invite us to contemplate the nature of the New Covenant and the embodiment of God’s law in the Christian life, urging us toward a deeper understanding of grace and charity as the fulfillment of the law.
The New Covenant of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:4-9)
In 2 Corinthians 3:4-9, St. Paul contrasts the Old Covenant, written on tablets of stone, with the New Covenant, written on the hearts of believers by the Spirit. He emphasizes that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6). The Apostle’s words remind us of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, who writes God’s law not externally, but internally, renewing our hearts and minds.
St. Augustine, reflecting on this passage, explains that the “letter” refers to the law of Moses, which, while holy and good, could not give life because it was powerless to overcome sin in the absence of grace. The “Spirit,” however, brings life because He renews our wills, enabling us to live according to God’s commands out of love rather than obligation. Augustine says, “The law was given that grace might be sought; grace was given that the law might be fulfilled” (Sermon 156).
St. John Chrysostom further clarifies that the ministry of the Spirit surpasses the ministry of the law in glory because it is the ministry of righteousness. While the law could only convict us of sin, the Spirit justifies us through Christ, transforming us into His likeness from one degree of glory to another (Homily on 2 Corinthians). This transformation is the essence of the New Covenant, where believers are not just called to follow external rules but are invited into a living relationship with God through the Spirit, who empowers them to fulfill the law in its fullness.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:23-37)
In the Gospel of Luke, we encounter the Parable of the Good Samaritan, a profound teaching on the nature of true charity. Jesus tells this parable in response to a lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). Through the story, Christ reveals that our neighbor is not limited by ethnicity, religion, or social status but is anyone in need of our mercy.
St. Ambrose, in his exposition on the Gospel of Luke, interprets the parable allegorically, identifying the wounded man as Adam, the Samaritan as Christ, and the inn as the Church. Adam, wounded by sin, is left half-dead, unable to save himself. The law, represented by the priest and the Levite, passes by because it cannot heal sin. But Christ, the Good Samaritan, moves with compassion, tending to our wounds with the oil and wine of His grace, and brings us to the Church, where we are cared for until He returns (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, Book VII).
This interpretation not only highlights the boundless mercy of Christ but also underscores the Church’s role in the economy of salvation. The Church is the inn where sinners are brought to be healed and nurtured in the life of grace. St. Augustine complements this by asserting that charity is the fulfillment of the law, for it is by loving our neighbor that we truly love God (Tractates on the Gospel of John, 17.8).
Integrating Law and Love
The readings for this day, placed side by side, emphasize the integration of law and love in the Christian life. The New Covenant is not a rejection of the law but its fulfillment in the Spirit, who writes the law on our hearts. The parable of the Good Samaritan demonstrates what this fulfillment looks like in practical terms: loving God and neighbor with a love that transcends legalism and manifests in acts of mercy.
St. Gregory the Great captures this beautifully when he writes, “The law commands, love acts; the law teaches what must be done, love does what has been taught” (Homilies on the Gospels, 34). It is through this love, made possible by the Spirit, that we truly live out the New Covenant, not merely as hearers of the word, but as doers.
As we meditate on these Scriptures, let us ask the Holy Spirit to renew our hearts, that we might love as Christ loves, fulfilling the law not out of fear, but in the freedom of the children of God, who know that to serve is to reign. May our lives be a testament to the life-giving power of the Spirit and the boundless mercy of Christ, the Good Samaritan who has saved us and called us to do likewise.
In this spirit of charity, let us be attentive to the needs of our neighbors, seeing in each person the image of God, and serving them with the love that Christ has poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.