Gospel: Luke
10:25-37
There was a scholar
of the law who stood up to test him 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?" He said in reply, "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." He replied 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?" Jesus
replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A
priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by
on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him,
he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was
moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and
wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own
animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two
silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of
him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way
back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers'
victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus
said to him, "Go and do likewise."
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Reflection:
How can we best
share the love, compassion and mercy of Jesus? It’s when we go out of our way
to help someone in need. It’s when we forgive someone who’ve done us wrong. And
it’s when we go out on a limb to convey that God is alive within us.
The Samaritan in our
gospel even if he was an enemy of the Jews
did the unexpected when he helped the man who was robbed and in near death. He
could have simply walked by just what the priest and Levite did and completely
ignore that man in the throes of death.
But the Samaritan did
not only stop to help the dying man he brought the dying man to a house to ensure
that he would regain his wellbeing. In
other words the Samaritan showed mercy, love and compassion to the dying man
who was deviously victimized robbers.
Who is this Samaritan
who mirrored the qualities and character of Jesus? We don’t know. But perhaps
it’s safe to conclude that this Samaritan is a true follower of Jesus. The
samaritan was not a follower in name only but a follower in words and in deeds.
If we call ourselves
follower of Jesus, this story of the good Samaritan should also be our own life
story : we should also be merciful,
loving and compassionate. Even to those whom we think do not anymore deserve
our Mercy, Love and Compassion.
Otherwise we are
just like the priest and the Levite who were both servants in the temple of God:
servants in name only. - Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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