Monday of the 27th Week in
Ordinary Time - Luke 10:25-37
The Gospel for today is a
familiar one. It begins with a scholar of the law testing Jesus. The scholar
asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus fires a question
back at him and asks the scholar what the law says. The man replies correctly:
“You should love God wholeheartedly and also love your neighbor.” Jesus agreed
that he replied correctly.
The scholar however is not
satisfied with his answer. He then asks Jesus another question: “Who is my
neighbor?” Once again Jesus does not answer him directly. Rather Jesus
describes a scenario in which a man who was traveling alone was robbed, beaten,
and left for dead on the roadside. Eventually a priest came by, ignored him and
continued on his way. Later a Levite (a holy man) came along. He also made it a
point to pass by on the other side of the road. He did not want to be
contaminated by this unclean man. Then a while later a Samaritan came along.
The Samaritans were a people despised by many of the Jews because they were a
mixed society with both Jewish and pagan ancestry. Yet it was this despised man
who stopped and cared for the injured man. He even took him to an inn and paid
for him to be nursed back to health. His actions clearly spoke of his love of
neighbor.
In today’s world most of us
are cautioned to be careful — especially with strangers. And to a degree this
is good advice. However, in today’s Gospel Jesus tells us to reach out and care
for those who are in need—despite their race, religion, or political opinions.
Today may we open our eyes,
mind and heart to someone who is in need and do what we can to care for them.
May we have the eyes of Jesus and see every person as he does — one of God’s
beloved.
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