Today is July 13, the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
We read at Mass today, “There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘What is written in the law? How do you read it?'” (Lk 10:25-26).
Today we hear one of the most beloved Gospel passages: the Parable of the Good Samaritan. But before Jesus tells that story, there’s a crucial exchange that sets the stage. A scholar of the law stands up to test Jesus and asks, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus replies, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
That’s the question I want to sit with today: How do you read it? Because Jesus is pointing not only to what we know, but also how we live what we know. And one of the ways we live our love of God is by receiving his mercy again and again in the Sacrament of Confession.
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati lived this with beautiful simplicity. His holiness wasn’t showy or performative — it was consistent, sacramental and grounded. While he’s known for his daily reception of the Eucharist, we often forget how seriously he took confession. There’s one story I love: Pier Giorgio once bumped into a priest on the street in Turin and asked for confession. The priest suggested they walk to a nearby church. Pier Giorgio replied, “No, just hear my confession here.” And he did — right there on the sidewalk.
Come back to God
That moment tells us everything. Pier Giorgio didn’t let the sacrament become complicated. He simply confessed, received absolution and carried on — refreshed, forgiven and ready to live for Christ.
So many Catholics today have lost that rhythm. We might think we need a dramatic conversion moment or an emotional breakthrough. But regular confession — once a month, or more often if needed — is just part of a healthy Catholic life. That’s why Pier Giorgio didn’t just go himself; he encouraged others too, even organizing confession for the members of his St. Vincent de Paul group.
The truth is, the graces of confession are always available. You don’t have to wait for a retreat or a perfect moment. If it’s been a while, just go. Don’t let summer routines knock you off your spiritual path. Go to confession. Come back to God. As Jesus says, “Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Let us pray,
O God, who show the light of your truth to those who go astray, so that they may return to the right path, give all who for the faith they profess are accounted Christians the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ and to strive after all that does it honor. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
