My Dear People of God, 

Today we talk about the parable of the Good Samaritan.  

The scribe attempting to test Jesus and perhaps feeling he might be humiliated amid the populace, who would think him ignorant, asked Jesus: “Who is my neighbor? In other words toward whom would one have to exercise charity? Jesus Christ answered him with a parable recounting an incident that had recently happened.   

An Israelite, going from Jerusalem to Jericho fell victim to robbers on the road he traveled  (about 17 miles),  passing through a desert that even today is infested with robbers.  Thus unfortunate instance was sadly not an extraordinary occurrence. The robbers not only stripped the man of everything he had but also beat and wounded him, leaving him half dead on the ground. 

A priest, coming from Jerusalem after serving in the temple, saw the unhappy man, beaten and battered but he continued on his way with no pity for him. Forgetting, as a minister of God, he should show pity, he did not want to assume responsibility nor be troubled by someone he did not know. A Levite also did the same: he stopped a moment out of curiosity, maybe with some words of pity, but then he, too, went on his way. 

Later, a Samaritan, a traveler, stopped, bandaged the man’s wounds after pouring oil and wine on them to soothe the pain as was done in ancient times. Then he put him on his own beast and brought him to a public inn, located on the outskirts of Jericho, and cared for him.

They remained overnight! In the morning, the Samaritan had to continue his journey, so he left him in the care of the innkeeper. He paid him two silver coins and promised to cover any additional expense incurred when he returned.

 When He finished the parable, Jesus asked the scribe: “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” The scribe answered: “the one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus then said to him: “Go and do likewise.”

Samaritans were hated by the Jews who paid them back with equal hostility, and yet this Samaritan took care of a Jew. Would a Jew have done the same for a Samaritan? Certainly not!   Neither the Priest nor the Levite had pity for their fellow-countryman, even though they should have taken care of his soul because of their sacred ministry. 

He who has mercy and helps another who is suffering is his neighbor! Also, a man who regards his neighbor without any distinction of nationality, race, or religion, establishes a holy brotherhood among men--which is mutual charity. It is necessary to break down the barriers of social divisions and to give each other the embrace of charity, which is the strongest feeling of peace among nations. 

We live in cruel and hypocritical times, where empty words abound. Social assistance and initiatives to practice it are plentiful, but charity is lacking because services which should be provided become bureaucracy and are limited to the privileged few. Those living in poverty who really are suffering are shunned and considered outsiders.

Often the social services emitted are virtually a joke (although not deliberately so), because they lack the very basis of charity that is inspired by the love of God. If the Lord is not present within us, charity is not achieved for Him under the inspiration of His grace. It is not possible to see the reason why one must help one’s neighbor without this inspiration because, if we do not see a person through the lens given to us by God, our neighbors in reality are strangers, and they could even be our opponents. 

If only the world, instead of wasting time in useless man-made initiatives to diminish human suffering, would love God, they would then receive from above the lifegiving grace of charity! If only men would  see that any initiative inspired by secular norms of society and not by God is inexorably destined to be devoured by fraud and selfishness!

Social assistance programs proliferate based on tax receipts and not on living charity! They truly yield very poor results and sometimes they even achieve the opposite of what their purpose is, because opportunists and embezzlers take advantage of them. 

Mankind and nations have attempted thousands of experiments of all kinds to attain a certain acceptable standard of happiness but have not yet tried in earnest to turn truly to God, loving Him with their whole hearts and glorifying God in all the activities of their lives.

The earth is illuminated by the sun during the day, and the moon is the splendor of its night! The sun in our lives during daylight is our love for God and the moon during the night is our troubles and misfortunes lit with the love for neighbor, which is a reflection of the love for God. It is not possible to conceive a different life or claim such peace and spiritual welfare. Both corporeal and eternal, can come from other sources. There is no substitute for the love of God and where it is not, there is only desolation and the night of eternal death.

O Lord raise this shining sun over our desolate valley, light in our hearts a true and deep love for You, so that among men charity, peace, temporal and eternal goodness can flourish.

You must come, Jesus to heal us; but you cannot come if our love does not call on you. 

You are the merciful Samaritan who came to heal us, redeeming us and leading us to your Church to find salvation. Come again our way, to heal our wounds and restore us to life in your Church. Once, You paid the price of our redemption and You continue to pay it for us. Free us from the wounds of our corrupt nature. You can still save us if we truly love you! Demonstrating our love for You with a full, Christian and holy life, we strive to fully align our will to your adorable Will. 

[Source From the reflection on the Gospel of Luke by Don Dolindo Ruotolo]

Fr. Vincent Clemente