9-Oct-17

Gospel LK 10:25-37
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus 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."
Reflection:
Jesus tells the scholar of the law that if he loves God and loves his neighbor then he "will live."
The scholar asks, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus then tells the scholar the story of the Good Samaritan who took care of the man who had been set upon by robbers.
-Love is an a Action word -
"But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight."
- Love softens the heart-
The Samaritan "approached" the injured man. That in itself was risky.
It was common for robbers to pretend to be injured so they could rob the person who came to their assistance. Yet, the Samaritan went to the aide of the injured man.
-Love calls us to take a risk-
"He...poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them."
-Love means healing people's wounds-
".....he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him..."
-Love summons us to be merciful-
"........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."
-Love encourages us to be generous-
Because of the love of God in whose image we are made, we are moved to act on behalf of others; looking for nothing in return.

"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self." - Thomas Merton