Deut. 30:10-14; Col. 1;
15-20; Lk. 10:25-37
There once was a farmer who grew award-winning
corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a prize.
One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and
learned something interesting
about how he grew it. The reporter discovered
that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbours.
“How can you afford to share your best seed corn
with your neighbours when they are entering corn in competition with yours each
year?” the reporter asked.
“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The
wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.
If my neighbours grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade
the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours
grow good corn.”
The farmer was very much aware of the connectedness
of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbour’s corn also improves.
So it is with our lives. Those who choose to live
in peace must help their neighbours to live in peace. Those who choose to live
well must help others to live well too. For the value of a life is
measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help
others to find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare
of all.
This is the simple law of nature. But man became blind to this law of
nature when selfishness entered into him. In order to bring back this equilibrium
societies and religions put forward simple laws. Moses explains it to his
people.
“Surely this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?'
Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross to
the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and
observe it?'
No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart
for you to observe." [Deut. 30:10-4]
God’s laws were given to help people love God with
all their hearts and minds. Throughout Israel’s history, however, these laws
had often been misquoted and misapplied. By Jesus’ time, religious leaders had
turned the laws into a confusing mass of rules. When Jesus talked about a new
way to understand God’s law, he was actually trying to bring people back to its
original purpose. Jesus did not speak against the law itself but against the
abuses and excesses to which it had been subjected. In
all his teachings Jesus went beyond this normal duty. Jesus focus was man and
his wellbeing.
In today’s Gospel we heard the story of the Good Samaritan. In this
parable the Jewish teacher was eager to know Jesus’ opinion on something
that worried him. “Who is my neighbour?” In other words whom am I bound to
love and whom may I exclude from my love?” This was a topic of
endless discussion among the theologians of the time. The Jewish teachers of
the time had come to the conclusion that the command of loving one’s own
neighbour extended only to fellow Jews. People of other nations could be
hated at will. It was an obligation to do so with the people who caused harm to
Israel.
Jesus corrected him by means of a parable. The parable of the Good
Samaritan. This parable concentrates on two “religious people” who had not understood what religion
was about and a nonbeliever who, through love, came close to God – The
Samaritan.
“A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho.” The
distance from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 30 kilometres. Even many years
after Jesus the road was called “The red road”, on account of the blood that
had been shed along it in countless murders. Groups of bandits were always on
the lookout for travellers. Like many others the man of the parable fell into
their hands.
The first two people who saw the wounded man were a priest and a Levite.
Probably they were going back home after a week of religious
duties in the Temple. In their worship they had literally observed the
rituals. But their worships have failed to give them the spirit of religious
worship.
Today we have to reflect upon our life too. Where do our worship and practice
stand? I like to share with you a horrible incident that happened near a famous
church. It is difficult to get parking near the church especially on
Sundays and days of obligation. So people wait for some to remove the car. A
few cars were found waiting. In order to avoid traffic block they provide
a passage for other cars to pass by. A person was found taking out a car from
the parking. The first car prepared to park in the lot. But immediately another car
from behind rushed, overtook others and parked in the parking lot. The man from
the first waiting car got out, rushed at the intruder, and gave him a punch on
his face. Unfortunately the blow caused him to faint and fall down. The
ambulance that rushed to the spot confirmed that the man was dead. Great
impudent actions from the people who came for worship. They came to worship but
there was no feeling of tolerance.
We look around us we find many similar incidents in the church, in
church compound and around us. We observe rituals – listen to sermon, kneel
down, worship the Lord, offer peace to those who are near us and receive
communion. But when it comes to showing tolerance, extending a helping hand to
the needy where do we stand. The growing disputes among different Christian
churches, different rites and different communities all question the
authenticity of our religious life. When we give priority to trivial material
things we are certainly falling into the group of the Priest and the Levite in
the parable.
Notice with what details does Jesus expresses the concern of the
Samaritan for the wounded man.
-He was moved by compassion for the wounded man.
-Bandaged his wound
-Put him on his donkey and carried him to the inn
-Looked after the man entrusted him to the inn-keeper and covered all
expenses involved.
We have many wounded around us.
Old people without home, care, food or medicine; Children who are not
able to get education; The sick who are struggling for food and medicine;
People who are abandoned; People who are mentally depressed and suffering;
People who have lost their mental balance and many more.
With the growing number of seniors, do we as Christians perceive the
loneliness that many elders are experiencing? Some have been abandoned by their
children. Others are unable to reach out and socialize because of their old age
or their ill health. Is anyone offering to drive them to Church on Sundays so
they can fulfil their Sunday obligation? Is anyone making the necessary
arrangements so they can receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist if they
are bedridden? Most often “No”. Because everyone of us is caught up in the
vicious circle of the fast moving world.
My brothers and sisters, many are the needs of our neighbours. We cannot
meet all their financial requirements. But we can share their concerns.
The way of salvation is open to all, and all must pay the same price to
obtain it: We must love everyone without exception. Jesus keeps on repeating it
to each one of us: “Go and do the same.”
It is said that, one day, an illiterate woman, asked a theologian:
“Father, what must a poor woman like me do to attain salvation?”
The Theologian answered, “It is very simple: all you have to do to be
saved is just to will it”
All we have to do is “will it” and we will find ways.
Satish