Reflection on “Loving Our Neighbor” – Based on the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37 – July 13, 2019
Mark Twain once said that it was not the parts of scripture that he did not understand that gave him the most trouble, but the parts that he did understand!
I think we can all relate. All of us struggle with the understanding of some aspects of theology and Biblical interpretation. But perhaps the greatest test of our faith is not whether we can understand deep mysteries, but whether we can be obedient to the teachings of our faith that are perfectly clear to us.
For example: Have no other gods before the one true God. Honor your parents. Do not steal. Do not commit adultery. Tell the truth. Learn to be content and be satisfied with what you have, and do not be envious of your neighbor’s possessions; Love your neighbor as yourself.
You see – We clearly understand these commandments.
The difficulty is living up to the ideals of these words. Our minds can grasp the truth. It is our feet, our mouths, our hearts, our hands that have trouble living by the truth our minds know.
The Bible can be a frustrating book in the sense that at times it simply does not provide the kinds of answers we are looking for. Ask Jesus a question about heaven and he’ll start talking to you about your neighbor!
Like in our Gospel story, when asked about eternal life by a scholar of the law, Jesus replied: Love God with your whole being and love your neighbor as yourself. It wasn’t the answer the scholar of the law wanted, so he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
For the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time – To the question: Who is my neighbor? Their response was: Only those of my own people, another Jew. Maybe only another Pharisee. Not a Gentile. Certainly not those half-breed Samaritans. The scribes and Pharisees were trying to find the limits of their obligation. Their real question was, in other words: “What is the least I can do and fulfill my duty?” We can all relate to that.
People ask: What is the least I can do to get to heaven? …to inherit eternal life?”
… minimal Christians so to speak.
What is your concept of heaven? People say heaven is about life after death. Unfortunately – that is all it’s about for most people.
But the Scripture presents heaven as a quality of life. It is fulfilled beyond this life, but it begins here. Jesus said: The kingdom of heaven is at hand. That is why we pray: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” It is a God-like quality of life that is only found through self-giving, self-sacrificing love… as Jesus showed in His life.
People often think of heaven in a self-concerned way… and so they are afraid of death because they focus on self-preservation. Psychological studies show that the more self-centered you are the more you fear death. But the more you live for other people and other purposes, the less threatening death is.
If we live our lives – with self-giving, self-sacrificing love of God and others – in communion with Christ, who gave His life for our sake, then we will find ourselves are at peace knowing that any day is a good day to die… because heaven is actually our true destiny
Where is heaven? We will find it first in the neighbor who is in need. The poor and those who are in need or are helpless and those who cannot pay us back – they teach us how to love. Where love is = God is = because God is love. Heaven is where God is.
Jesus made a Samaritan the hero in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Samaritans were former Jews who had intermarried with Gentiles. The Jews of Jesus’ time saw Gentiles as godless and sub-human. They had complete contempt for Jews who married Gentiles, and that is why they rejected Samaritans.
Jesus’ point is that God is pleased with any person who understands that the neighbor is every other person, especially someone in need. God does not favor one race, or one nationality, or one socio-economic class over another.
Jesus made it very clear that we love, and give, and help, not just for the sake of the other person, but for our own sake. It is for the good of our own soul that we must care, and love, and give ourself.
What does the story of the Good Samaritan mean for us? In the simplest terms – it means that the truly righteous person knows that the neighbor is whoever is there. Your neighbor is the next person you meet…the one sitting next to you at this moment. Forget borders, race, and language. God’s neighborhood includes everyone. God calls us to be a neighbor to everyone…not only those of our own people.
Admittedly, it is really a risky business to get involved in human need. You could be deceived and played for a fool. You could end up wasting your time and effort. You could even get hurt!
No doubt, the Samaritan recognized all of those possibilities. Still he took the risk of becoming personally involved. He gave his own time. In short, he did for that man what he would have wanted someone to do for him, if he lay wounded beside the road. He loved his neighbor as himself.
Love to him had real meaning. Love meant risks taken, time given, money spent and service rendered. He knew how to love in a practical and personal way.
Jesus is the ultimate Good Samaritan and we are the victim on the side of the road.
Jesus risked everything to save us. He has become a neighbor to all of us…even while we are still sinners.
What does it mean for you and me? We must open our eyes to those people who are in need, whose wounds may not be as dramatic as the victim in the parable, but still no less real.
We probably walk right past them almost every day. Some are wounded by loneliness, some by fear, some by guilt. Some have been beaten and robbed by economic circumstances beyond their control. They may live next door, or across town, or even under our own roof. Wherever they live, whoever they are and whatever their need might be, Jesus describes them as neighbors. And Jesus placed upon every one of us the responsibility to love each one of them, even as we love ourselves.
St. Teresa of Avila said it so beautifully:
Christ has NO body now on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which He looks with compassion on this world.
Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good.
Christ has NO body now on earth but yours.
In other words –
Be other Christ in the world.
Who wants to go to heaven?
Then love your neighbor as Jesus loves you.
My brothers and sisters in Christ – God loves you!
Now – please turn to each other – left and right… and see in each other a neighbor to love… whom God loves.
And say “And I love you, too!”
Mean it.
God bless…
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – CYCLE C – July 14, 2019
Luke 10:25-37
Deuteronomy 30:10-14
