July 10, 2022: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “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.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Reflection

The only difference among the three men seemingly was that two passed by the wounded man, even going to great pains to do so by going to the opposite side of the road and one assisted him! What was common to all of them was the fact that each of the three saw the man beaten by the robbers. Only the Samaritan man acted and he did so in a caring, compassionate way, going so far as to provide for the man’s care in his absence.

Action

This week, let’s be aware of any times when we see someone in need and pass by without acting. The need can be as simple as pausing to greet the person or as giving a few dollars to the street beggar. Why did you pass the person by? In a hurry; lack of time? Not knowing what to do? Not “attracted” to the person? See if your “motivation” is a pattern of behavior and decide what you might change in order to follow Jesus’ command to treat others with mercy.