The Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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.

The story of the Good Samaritan shows us how we should live our lives. We should treat everyone we meet as our neighbors, as our brothers and sisters in Christ. This means that no matter how busy we might believe ourselves to be, we should always make time for those we meet along the way. All of us know people in our lives who are in need of help, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. It is up to us to approach them, tend to their needs, lift them up, and do everything in our power to make them whole again. We cannot do that if we believe our time is more important or if we walk past them because we do not want to get involved. Just like Christ, we should be constantly involved in the lives of those in need and take care of them no matter what it costs us.

Have we taken the time to help those who are in need? Where is the compassion in our lives? Are we willing to give our time, talents, and treasures to those in need of them without worry about the cost to us?

O Lord, help us to be Good Samaritans to all your children.

Amen.