Reflection:

When the lawyer pushes Jesus to define ‘who is my neighbour’, he tells the story we know as the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus’ answer would have shocked his hearers. They did not want to hear that the one who acted as a neighbour to the beaten-up traveller left for dead beside the road was not one of them. The religious professionals, the priest and Levite looked, saw, and passed by, because contact with a bloodied or dead body would have made them unclean, and unable to carry out their important religious duties. Perhaps the hearers of the story were expecting the third person to be someone like them, an ordinary Jewish layperson. But a Samaritan shows up, looks, sees and rather than passing by on the other side as expected, feels compassion that prompts practical and loving action. To the listeners’ ears, the term, ‘Samaritan’ elicited feelings of disgust and revulsion. No one would ever put together the words ‘good’ and ‘Samaritan’. Yet, this outsider, a non-Jew, fulfils the duties of mercy, justice and hospitality, ignored by the others and generously provides for the wounded traveller out of his own resources.

Sometimes we find it difficult to respond with love and practical care to our neighbours. It is easy to ‘pass by on the other side’ and justify our non-action.

Prayer:  Please give me eyes to see my neighbours as you see them, especially those who are not like me, and to show your love. I pray today particularly for those who are shunned by our society.