OT XV [C] Dt 30:10-14; Col 1:15-20; Lk 10:25-37

When the Communists came to power in China, not a few Christians were arrested and tried for their faith. One person was given the opportunity to reveal why he chose Christianity instead of the religion of his ancestors. I was in a deep pit, he said, sinking in the mire, and helpless to deliver myself. Looking up I saw a shadow at the top, and soon a venerable face looked over the brink and said, “My son, I am Confucius, the father of your country. If you had obeyed my teachings, you would never have been here.” And then he passed on with a significant movement of his finger and a cheerless farewell, adding, “If you ever get out of this, remember to obey my teachings.” But alas! That did not save me. Then Buddha came along, and, looking over the edge of the pit he cried, “My son, just count it all as nothing. Enter into rest. Fold your arms and retire within yourself, and you will find Nirvana, the peace to which we all are tending.” I cried, “Father Buddha, if you will only help me to get out, I will be glad to do so. I could follow your instructions easily if I were where you are, but how can I rest in this awful place?” But Buddha passed on and left me to my despair.

Then another face appeared. It was the face of a man beaming with kindness and bearing marks of sorrow. He did not linger a moment, but leaped down to my side, threw his arms around me, lifted me out of the mire, brought me to the solid ground above, then he did not even bid me farewell, but took off my filthy garments, put new robes upon me, and bade me follow him, saying, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” That is why I became a Christian.

As followers of Christ, we can very easily see ourselves in that injured man because we were once dead, badly beaten up by our sins. But we have been spotted by – ‘The Good Samaritan par excellence and our ultimate neighbor, beyond all comparison,’ who healed and delivered us from our sins out of his loving mercy and compassion for us. After he healed us, he entrusted us to his inn, which is his Church, for further spiritual caring and nourishment. And, our Samaritan who saved us is none other than Jesus himself, who said that he will be back someday in the future to take us with him to his Kingdom. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when he told this parable. It is on Calvary, near Jerusalem, that he was going to take the wounded half dead man on his donkey, ie. the cross, and clean and bandage the wounds and pour wine on the wounds to heal them. This story is Jesus’ own story and he is the Good Samaritan, whom the Jewish leaders despised.

In this story, the Samaritan provides an example of risk-taking love, and those who love Jesus are to follow that example. The Samaritan treated the stranger’s wounds. He poured out expensive oil and the wine that would have quenched his thirst. He tore his clean and costly cloth to bind the bleeding man. Then he hoisted this dirty, bloodied stranger onto his donkey. He did not think of his position or the responsibilities he had. The Samaritan likely had things to do and places to be. He had a life and obligations. He might have been inconvenienced to help the hurt man, but he wasn’t deterred. He put his life aside for the moment and did what was required to make sure the man got the help he needed. He did not preach compassion to the innkeeper or expected any return for payment from the beaten man. The Samaritan took responsibility financially and personally and lived out a belief.

Pope Benedict XVI said. “The relevance of the parable today is evident. Aren’t we surrounded by people who have been robbed and battered? The victims of drugs, of human trafficking, inwardly devastated people who sit empty in the midst of material abundance. All this is of concern to us; it calls us to have the eye and the heart of a neighbor, and to have the courage to love our neighbor.” 

There is a growing number of elders who are experiencing loneliness in their community.  Some have been abandoned by their children who have moved to other cities. Others are unable to reach out and socialize because of their old age or their ill health. Trapped in solitude, they pray that someone would show care towards them, that someone would maybe take them out once in a while to the park for some fresh air. They are waiting for the help of good Samaritans to provide an opportunity for them to receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

This parable asks us to help without expecting anything in return. There was no obvious benefit for the Samaritan to help the fallen man. The Samaritan knew that the wounded man might never see him again. Yet, he pressed on because he knew it’s the right thing to do. Being a Good Samaritan in the modern-day context is hard. Most of the time, we are so wrapped up in our own lives that we forget about our less fortunate brethren. But you can still fix that when we start with little acts of kindness. Think less about what others can do for us and more on what we can do for them. That, in itself, is already being a good Samaritan.

The parable makes us realize that every human person is our neighbor. Our neighbor 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. Our neighbor must therefore be loved, even if he or she is an enemy, with the same love with which the Lord loves him or her.” Let us pray that the Spirit of the living God may melt us, mold us and use us so that there will no longer be even one person who is untouchable or outside the boundaries of our compassion. May the Lord help all of us to prove to be good neighbors to others.