Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.”
Four questions
Peace to all my brothers and sisters listening in today
- First question. The doctor of the law asks Jesus a very important question about Heaven-and frases it in a very subtle way. By asking Jesus what he must do to INHERIT heaven, that is to receive heaven, he avoids the common mistake that many of us make in thinking we can somehow earn heaven by doing certain things-that is performing enough good works in order to get in. He shows that he knows heaven is a free gift, a grace that God freely offers to all of us. In stead of trying to obey the rules and commandments in order to get into heaven, he already realizes our good actions are merely a proper response to such a generous gift as heaven. It is then not so much about us getting into heaven but rather about heaven getting into us.
- The second question. When Jesus affirms that we are called to love God with all our heart, mind soul and strength and our neighbor as ourself, the question becomes- who is our neighbor? This question specifically concerns an interpretation of the Jewish law which only obligated them to love their fellow Israelite-neighbors as opposed to a wider interpretation that was more inclusive and thus challenge them to love everyone. The question itself seems to indicate the scholar of the law might be looking for a loophole that reduced the obligation to love the gentiles and thereby be excused from the command to love everyone.
- The third and fourth questions. In answering who our neighbor is, Jesus tells the parable of the good Samaritan.
While three people encounter the same robbed man on the road the priest and the Levite seem to have gotten stuck on one question: that is: “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” As opposed to the good Samaritan, who asked: “If I DON’T stop to help this man, what will happen to him?!” I think of how often I ask the first question…..about many things….. Maybe sanctity grows when the second question comes first. We perhaps need reminding that Matthew 25 informs us that we are not judged by what we do wrong, that is the sins we commit, but rather by what we don’t do, that is our sins of omission. That is the criteria by which our Good Lord uses to decide our eternal destiny. Today let us choose to love and show mercy to everyone, especially the least of our brothers and sisters, because not only are they our neighbors, but because Jesus tells us when we love them and serve them we are loving and serving Him.
May God bless you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Always remember Heaven is our goal
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