Fifteenth Sunday of the Year, 10th July 2022
Deuteronomy 30: 10 – 14; Colossians 1: 15 – 20; Luke10: 25 – 37
A scribe asked Jesus a very basic religious question: “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” In answer to the question, Jesus directed the Scribe’s attention to the Sacred Scriptures. The Scriptural answer is “love God and express it by loving your neighbour.” However, to the scribe, the word “neighbour” meant another scribe or Pharisee – never a Samaritan or a Gentile. Hence, the scribe insisted on a clarification of the word “neighbour.” So Jesus told him the parable of the Good Samaritan. The parable clearly indicates that a “neighbour” is anyone who needs our help. Thus, the correct approach is not to ask the question “Who is my neighbour?” but rather to ask, “Am I a good neighbour to others?”
The first reading, taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, reminds us that God not only gives us His Commandments in Holy Scriptures, but that they are also written in our hearts so that we may obey them and inherit eternal life with God. The refrain for today’s Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 68) condenses the lessons of the three readings in a single memorable promise, “Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.”
In the second reading, St. Paul reminds the Colossians, and us, that just as Christ Jesus is the “visible image of the invisible God,” so our neighbours are the visible image of Christ living in our midst. Jesus, the Heavenly Good Samaritan, gave us a final commandment during the Last Supper, “Love one another as I have loved you,” because the invisible God dwells in every human being.
Gospel exegesis: In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus presents three philosophies of life concerning our relationship with our neighbour: The philosophy of the thieves who robbed the Jewish traveller – Lust: “What is yours is mine; I will take it by force.” The philosophy of life of the Jewish priest and the Levite – Legalism: “What is mine is mine; I won’t part with it.” The parable’s priest and Levite, however, represent people who are always demanding their rights, but never talking about their responsibilities. These two men exercised their legal right to pass this man by and forgot God in the process. These people don’t say, “I do what I want to do,” but, “I will only do what I have to do – I won’t stick my neck out for anybody.” When one only does what one must do in life, one is not a good neighbour. The philosophy of the Samaritan — Love: “What is mine is yours as well. I shall share it with you.” The Samaritan was generous enough to see the wounded Jew as a neighbour. He ignored the long history of enmity between his people and the Jews.
The Good Samaritan was taking a real risk, since the robbers who had assaulted the traveller might still be nearby. Nevertheless, he gave first aid to the wounded Jew, took him to a nearby inn and made arrangements for his food and accommodation by giving the innkeeper two denarii. What made this Samaritan so special was not the colour of his skin, but the compassion in his heart. No law could make the priest or the Levite stop, but love could make the Samaritan stop. Who would we have been that day — the thief, the priest, the Levite, or the Good Samaritan?” If a person has a need that we can and should meet, that person is our neighbour. Every time we see a person in need, we immediately become a neighbour; we become a minister with a ministry. Columnist Ann Landers once wrote, “Be kind to people. The world needs kindness so much. You never know what sort of battles other people are fighting. Often just a soft word or a warm compliment can be immensely supportive. You can do a great deal of good by just being considerate, by extending a little friendship, going out of your way to do just one nice thing, or saying one good word.
We need to remember that the road from Jerusalem to Jericho passes right through our home, parish, school and workplace. The Jericho Road is any place where people are being robbed of their dignity, their material goods or their value as human beings. It is any place where there is suffering and oppression. As a matter of fact, the Jericho Road may be our own home, the place where we are taking care of a mother or father, husband or wife, or even our own children. We may find our spouse, children or parents lying “wounded” by bitter words, scathing criticism or other, more blatant forms of verbal, emotional or physical abuse. Hence, Jesus invites us to have hearts of love. What God wants more than anything is for us to show our love to others, in our own home and school, in the workplace, and in the neighbourhood, as the Good Samaritan did. Jesus is inviting us to have hearts of mercy for those who are being left hurt or mistreated on any of the “Jericho Roads” of life.
Are we good neighbours? A good neighbour does not say, “I do what I want to do,” or even, “I do what I have to do,” but, “I do what I ought to do.” The lawyer’s question— “Who is my neighbour?”—reveals that he was really self-centered. The parable makes us realise that every human person is our neighbour. How have we been good neighbours this week? To whom did we behave in a neighbourly way? The parable is a condemnation of our non-involvement as well as an invitation for us to be merciful and kind to those in need, including those in our family, school, neighbourhood, and parish. We are invited to be people of generosity, kindness, and mercy toward all who are suffering. A sincere smile, a cheery greeting, an encouraging word of appreciation, a heartfelt “thank you” can work wonders for a suffering soul. Within every society, there is fear of those who are “different,” who differ from us in religion, skin-color, dress or language. The parable invites us to make them neighbours. Why? Because “one’s neighbour is the living image of God the Father, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and placed under the permanent action of the Holy Spirit. One’s neighbour must therefore be loved, even if he or she is an enemy, with the same love with which the Lord loves him or her.”