Twenty-Seventh Monday in Ordinary Time

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.’

Being a disciple of Christ means not only loving God with all our hearts, beings, strengths, and minds, but also loving our neighbors as God loves them. It is not always easy to do this, but if we want to be Christ-like, then we must be compassionate toward others. The priest and the Levite passed by the robbed man for unknown reasons, but no matter their reasoning, they ignored their higher duty. They might have been busy. They might have wanted to avoid becoming ritually unclean. They might have decided to not get involved out of fear. No matter why they didn't help, they failed to be neighborly toward the robbed man. However, the Samaritan goes above and beyond what many others would have done. He not only aids the victim, but also carries him to an inn, cares for him, and then provides money to the innkeeper to take care of the victim. He shows us how to respond to the opportunities God gives us to do His Will. And just like the Good Samaritan, we should be willing to set aside our excuses and love God through loving our neighbor to the best of our abilities.

Are we compassionate toward those in need? Are we willing to put aside our worries, excuses, and fears in order to love God and our neighbors? How can we prepare ourselves to act like Christ even when we are at our busiest?

O Lord, make us instruments of your compassion.

Amen.

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.

Twenty-Seventh Monday of Ordinary Time

“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?”

Who are our neighbors? That is the question posed to Jesus and in response he gives us the parable of the Good Samaritan. We see two people, a priest and a Levite, who represent religious and righteous people pass by the beaten man. They did not stop to tend his wounds. Instead, they passed by on the opposite side. Perhaps they didn’t stop because they didn’t want to be made ritually unclean by the man’s blood. Or maybe because they were afraid the robbers were still around. Perhaps they thought it was a trick. No matter the reason they didn’t stop, they let their own personal selfishness overrule their hearts. They let pride or fear trump compassion. Jesus calls us to know, love, and serve our fellow children of God no matter what the circumstances. We are asked to be like the Good Samaritan and recognize our neighbor in all whom we meet no matter how disfigured (physically or emotionally) they might be. We cannot follow in Jesus’ footsteps if we do not approach those in most need of God’s Love, Mercy, and Grace and care for them to the best of our abilities. We should be willing to give our time, talents, and treasures to God and His children. This is how we become good and faithful servants of God and neighbors to our fellow man.

Who are our neighbors? Who do we have the most difficulty being compassionate to? What are we doing in our lives to cultivate a spirit of compassion and care?

O Lord, give us your compassionate heart so that we might love others as we should.

Amen.