The Good Samaritan
Jonah 1:1-2:1, 11; Psalm – Jonah 2:3-5, 8; Luke 10:25-37
Reflecting on the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Pope Francis says, “The priest and the Levite saw but ignored; they looked but did not offer to help. Yet there is no true worship if it is not translated into service to a neighbor. Let us never forget this: before the suffering of so many people exhausted by hunger, violence, and injustice, we cannot remain spectators.” Therefore, let us touch, care for, and love those we encounter. Do not ignore the wounded, dejected, and marginalized.
Wounded people are all around us. Some people are suffering physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Help; do not be too busy or self-centered. In the first reading, Jonah disregarded his task because he thought Nineveh didn’t deserve God’s mercy. But God was merciful. To help is a privilege.
On the other hand, talking about the priest and the Levite, we must equally accept that it is not easy to go out of your way to help others. Imagine attempting to assist and becoming a victim. Some people have similar stories about aiding the injured on the road and then unexpectedly falling victim to predators. It takes a lot of sacrifice to help. May God grant us wisdom and sound judgment.
More so, Martin Luther King Jr. says, “We are called to play the good Samaritan on life’s roadside, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life’s highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice that produces beggars needs restructuring.” Let us fix our nation and make our lives better.
Let us pray
Lord, as we make our way through the land, give us eyes to see our marginalized and suffering brethren. Give us a heart that will love as you did. Give us hands that help and lips that pray.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
