This week the gospel (Luke 10: 25-37) is telling us when should a disciple stop, or pause? The answer is: when he/she sees someone in need. Who is my neighbor? My neighbor is the one ‘in need.’ The priest and the Levite pass by, and even cross to the other side of the street. They are thinking, maybe he is dead, and they cannot touch him since they will become impure. They are worried about themselves, not the man who needs help. Don’t you and I often have the same reaction?
The Samaritan man is disinterested, kind, personal and very effective. He is not looking to gain anything. How often do you say: call me if you need something? The Samaritan sees what is needed and he acts. Edith Stein in Auschwitz was cheerful and was serving the children. So many of the mothers were hysterical that they forgot their kids; but she was serving the families, one by one, cheerfully. She and her younger sister died there.
The good Samaritan is Jesus Christ, Jericho is the world, 3,600 feet below Jerusalem, oil and water are the sacraments and the inn is the Church. This is what we are called to do; to bring people to the inn and offer them oil and water. Get to know them; spend some time with them, and they will listen to you. Nothing in life will be greater than the spiritual help you give a friend.
It doesn’t mean that you have to speak a lot; simply say, ‘God loves you,’ or ‘Let’s say an Our Father together,’ or ‘I will pray for you tonight,’ or ‘Come with me to church this Sunday; it’s beautiful, it lifts me up.’ It is not so difficult.
This story in the gospel of Matthew it is Jesus who is saying ‘you’ must love God with all ‘your’ heart and all ‘your’ mind and all ‘your’ strength. He is challenging the lawyer to change, to convert: you, your, your, your. This man is justifying himself. It appears that he has not intention of changing.
The second commandment is possible only if we live the first. To love ourselves and the other is only possible if we love God. Human love has to continually go to the uncreated love, eternal love that flows from the heart of God, otherwise it consumes itself. Let us never forget that God has created us for this: to love and be loved.
The first reading, Deuteronomy (30: 10-14) says briefly, ‘To listen to God is not too remote for you…It is not up in the sky… or across the sea; it is something very near you…you only have to do it…it is already in your mouth and in your hearts.’ It is very encouraging and deep what this Scripture says. Do not be afraid; go and speak of what God has done for you, and you will be very happy.