In the Gospel for today’s Sunday we heard the story of the Good Samaritan. The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of the most well known of Christ’s teachings.
Very often the word “Samaritan” is use in our civil society. Many hospitals, homeless shelters, and other charitable institutions bear the name. Many people who have never read the bible, and others who have never set foot in a Christian church, know about the Good Samaritan and what he represents.
In today’s Gospel the scholar of the law asked Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? He answered: You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Then Jesus told him the story which we called the story of the Good Samaritan. We already know this story. Many times we heard this Gospel and we reflect on this. Many times when we heard this story we asked ourselves.
Why did the religious leaders refuse to give any help when they saw a victim lying by the roadside? Didn’t they know that this victim was their neighbor?
Why didn’t the priest and Levite stop to help?
The priest probably didn’t want to risk the possibility of ritual impurity. His piety got in the way of charity.
The Levite approached close to the victim, but stopped short of actually helping him. Perhaps he feared that bandits were using a decoy to ambush him. The Levite put personal safety ahead of saving his neighbor.
And why did a Samaritan, an outsider, treat this victim with special care at his own expense? He cared for him in the same way he would care for his own family.
My dear sisters and brothers, what does Jesus’ story tell us about true love for one’s neighbor?
First, we must be willing to help even if others brought trouble on themselves – through their own fault. Second, our help must be practical. Good intentions and empathizing with others are not enough. And lastly, our love for others must be as wide as God’s love.
No one is excluded. God’s love is unconditional. So we must be ready to do good to and for others for their sake, just as God is good to us.
We should pray to God:
“Lord, may your love always be the foundation of my life. And may my love for you express itself in an eagerness to do good for others.”