WHAT MUST I DO ...?

Darlene Howard

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,

"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lk. 10:25-27)

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?” — The question posed to Jesus in today’s Gospel. True to His teaching style, Jesus responded with a question of His own: “What is written in the law?”

I pose a similar question: How often have you asked God for clear, undeniable direction? How frequently have you longed for a straightforward, life-changing answer that reveals how to improve your life or overcome your struggles? If you're like me, those moments of crystal-clear clarity rarely arrive in the way we expect.

In today’s Gospel, Luke 10:25-37, we hear the story of the Good Samaritan, and Jesus asks, “Which of these three was neighbor to the man who fell victim to the robbers?” Do we take time to reflect and ponder this powerful message?

Let me challenge you to enter the story—not as the priest or the Levite who chose to pass by, but as the victim. The one beaten, stripped, and left for dead.

Imagine yourself as the one who has just lost a job, with no real prospects in sight, perhaps because of your age, skin color, or background. Maybe you’ve received a devastating medical diagnosis, only to learn that your benefits have been reduced or denied. Or perhaps you’ve lost a loved one to addiction, violence, or suicide while carrying the burden of caring for an aging parent. It’s in those moments—curled up, broken, whispering “I didn’t deserve this… I can’t believe this is my life… Who’s going to help me now?”—that the Gospel becomes personal.

Where is the charity? Where is the justice? Where is my neighbor?

Throughout my life, I have often prayed, “Lord, what is your plan for me? Show me what to do.” I expected the answer to be loud, visible, and impossible to miss. But like the scholar in the Gospel, I found myself more eager to justify where I stood than to listen humbly. And yet, God always has a plan. “You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the Lord requires of you; Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

Recently, I’ve been challenging myself to step outside my comfort zone, to break free from the safe, sheltered environment I grew up in, in search of my true identity—not only as a Catholic but as a Black Catholic. That journey began when I enrolled in an online course with Loyola Marymount University, taught by Professor Michael Howard, titled Sharing Your Gift of Blackness with the Catholic Church.

This class allowed me to confront the reality of racism, even within the Church, and to embrace the call to bring my authentic self to the practice of my faith. Another course, Living the Gospels with Dr. Martin Luther King and Sr. Dr. Thea Bowman, deepened my awareness that God's plan is alive within every trial and every triumph. Through Theological

Reflection, I discovered God's presence in the heartache and the hope.

Next came a transformative study of Catholic Social Teaching through the Gospel of John, centered on the theme, “Do you love me?” We examined the suffering of the poor and marginalized, the essential difference between charity and justice, and the challenge of meeting people where they are with love, acceptance, and humility. The question remained: Are we truly willing to do all things to the Glory of God?

My personal call to action became clear on June 21, 2025, when I traveled with members of Pax Christi USA to the ICE Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana. There, we participated in a prayer vigil and interfaith worship service titled Caravan for Human Rights Over Unlawful Detentions.

I stood outside the prison walls, raising my voice in prayer for my neighbor, Mahmoud Khali, taken from his New York apartment by ICE agents in March, detained for his activism in defense of human rights in Gaza. That day, I experienced what it means to be a neighbor—to advocate for the dignity of someone stripped of their rights, beaten down for their beliefs, and left isolated by systems of injustice. Alongside others, I witnessed faith transformed into action.

My prayer leading up to that moment was simple: Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. That prayer was answered. I saw the Gospel brought to life. I saw neighbors loving neighbors. And I saw my responsibility to do the same. “We know all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”(Rom. 8:28).

So, I ask you—what will you do? Will you open your heart? Will you be the neighbor who meets the suffering with compassion? Will you place the needs of others before your own, knowing that in doing so, you Give All Glory to God?

I leave you with the words, from an article featured in the Black Catholic Messenger, of Sr. Charlotte Rubit, SSF, a daughter of my home parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana:

"As we confront the challenges of the world, may we encounter Jesus and be forever marked by His love. May we cultivate compassionate hearts, recognize those suffering around us, and understand the many ways God reveals Himself—through dreams, acts of grace, or quiet compassion."

Open the eyes of your heart—and see.

Author: Darlene Howard, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Thank you for engaging with this blog. Should you find the content enriching, consider subscribing to the Eat the Scroll Ministry for updates on our newest blog posts. Feel free to like and share this blog with someone you know. Prof./Evangel. Howard