October 05, 2020

Lk 10: 25-37

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 

So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” 

Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

Who is my neighbor?

Jesus shares the parable of the good Samaritan with a scholar of the law, who is testing him. I am particularly struck by the contrast of how the Samaritan is presented here, when throughout Scripture Samaritans are described as outsiders. Jesus presents the Samaritan as the hero of the parable to this scholar of the law, who probably considers himself superior not only of the Samaritan, but perhaps even Jesus.  Jesus is telling all of us that loving our neighbor is crucial to loving God.  He is also posing the question of “who is my neighbor”?  What are my preconceived notions of some of my neighbors?  Why do I feel the need for some neighbors to prove themselves to me while others I am easily inclined to give the benefit of the doubt?  Do I notice and engage my neighbor when I do not know them well?  When they are perceived as the outsider? The foreigner? The other? Do I truly love all my neighbors, engaging them with unconditional love, respect, and trust?  Or like the scholar of the law, do I test them because of my own biases and perceptions?   Let us pray that we love all our neighbors, whoever they are and wherever they are from, preserving their human dignity and personal agency.  Let us engage with them in genuine loving relationships that transcend our biases, prejudices, and false perceptions, particularly those neighbors who live on the margins. AMEN. —Dr. Sajit U. Kabadi is the Assistant Principal for Mission, Ministry, and Diversity at Regis Jesuit High School in Colorado.

Prayer

Give Us Hearts

God of love and compassion: may we always recognize your spirit: in the refugee family, seeking safety from violence; in the migrant worker, bringing food to the tables; in the asylum-seekers, seeking justice for their families; in the unaccompanied child, traveling in a dangerous world.

Give us hearts that break open whenever our brothers and sisters turn to us.
Give us hearts that no longer turn deaf to their voices in times of need;
Give us eyes to recognize a moment for grace instead of a threat.
Give us voices that fail to remain silent but which decide instead to advocate prophetically.

Give us hands that reach out in welcome, but also in work, for a world of justice until all homelands are safe and secure.  

Bless us, O Lord. 

—Fr. Dan Hartnett, SJ

 

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