Homily for the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, had a different perspective from that of Jesus. On one occasion, they asked Him for the two best seats in his kingdom, one on His right and one on His left. He brought them down to earth by asking them if they were willing to drink the cup He must drink, the cup of suffering.

In today's Gospel, James and John's reaction to the Samaritan villagers' refusal of hospitality was one of fury. In their outrage, they wanted vengence. However, Jesus, in His wisdom, rebuked them for their misguided anger and quietly left the village, a powerful demonstration of His teachings in action.

St. Luke emphasizes the mercy of Jesus towards all, even for those who rejected Him. He practices His own teaching about loving the enemy and doing good to those who hate us.

Following the Gospel story we just heard, Jesus tells the story of the good Samaritan, a figure who exemplifies Christlike generosity by helping his traditional enemy in his hour of need. The hero of this parable is from the same group who refused hospitality to Jesus, highlighting the call for all to share in this largeness of spirit, guided by the Holy Spirit.