Homily (Reflection) for
the Fifteenth Sunday of the Year, (C) (10th July, 2016) on the Gospel
Deut 30:10-14;
Ps 68:14.17.30-31.33-34.36-37. (R. cf.
v. 33) or Ps 18:8-11 (R.v.9);Col 1:15-20;
Lk 10:25-37.
Recall your needs as many as possible before proceeding. We
shall come back to them.
Topic: Unless we follow suit.
Jesus answered the question asked
by a lawyer in today’s gospel to justify himself about who is one’s neighbour
with the story of the Good Samaritan. We picked four characters – the man who
fell into the hands of robbers, the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan.
According to Robert J. Karris “The lawyer’s question stems from debates about
who belongs to God’s people and therefore is an object of neighbourly love.[1]
The Scribes limited neighbourly love to Israelites.
The road where the robbers attacked the man was well-known
as “the happy hunting-ground of brigands”. As a result, Barclay described him
as “a reckless and foolhardy character”.[2]
Therefore, he could be blamed for what happened to him.
A priest, one specially trained to perform religious duties
and responsibilities[3]
was the first to see the man. Those listening to Jesus definitely would expect
something better than what they heard about the priest (v.31). The Levite, a member of the Israelite tribe descended from
Levi and was either a priest or assistant of the priest/s[4]
was the second to see the man. The expectation surely will be the same or very similar
to that of a priest. However, he faithfully copied the priest. The third was a
Samaritan, whom the people might have considered as the villain but,
… he was moved with pity. He went to
him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put
him on his own animal brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day
he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of
him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend’ (Lk 10:33-35).
The priest and the Levite could have good reasons. According
to Barclay, this Israelite priest “was remembering that he who touched a dead
man was unclean for seven days” thereby setting the claims of ceremonial above
those of charity and the temple and its liturgy meant more to him than the pain
of man, Num 19:11.[5]
The present-day priests’ and Levites’ reasons might include having more
important thing/s, the identity of the man, does not want to be stained nor to
waste his resources on a stranger who might never appreciate what he did, avoiding
the troubles of security agents, not prepared for that, and so on.
Both the priest and the Levite knew both the true God and
his commandments and are Israelites. According to Longman dictionary of
contemporary English (2009), a
neighbour is “someone or something that is next to another person or thing of
the same type”. Because the priest and the Levite shared the same creed with
this man and knew the commandments more than others, one would have expected something
better from them. But the long-awaited help came from where it was least
expected – a heretic, and an archenemy.
Again, the priest and the Levite might have been touched by
the condition of the man but did not go beyond that. Our faith in God must go
beyond theory, cf. Jas 2:14-16. In
the words of Barclay, “the help must be practical and not consist merely in
feeling sorry.... Compassion, to be real, must issue in deeds”.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads,
The works of mercy are charitable
actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbour in his spiritual and
bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting, are spiritual works of mercy, as are
forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry,
sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned,
and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the
chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to
God (n 2447).
Let each person go back to the list of his or her needs earlier
made. How many of them require God to come down from heaven to solve? Jesus is
telling us the same thing he told the lawyer, go and do likewise.
The man who fell into the hands of robbers you will meet
might be in need of either spiritual or corporal works of mercy or even both. There
should be no boundary. Barclay (2006) rightly maintained, “Any man of any
nation who is in need is our neighbour. Our help must be as wide as the love of
God” (p. 141).
It might be more difficult if one knows that a person caused
what he or she is suffering. Barclay (2006) wrote further, “We must help … even
when he has brought his trouble on himself, as the traveller had done” (p.140).
Unless we follow the footsteps of the Good Samaritan, the
world will not become a better place. Let us all go and follow his example.
Bible Reading: Is 58:1-12; Acts 9:36-41;
Matt 5:43-48; 25:31-46; Jas 2:14-26.
Thought for today: How often have you turned away from your
neighbours because of whatever reason?
Let
us pray: Lord, we
ask you to give us the grace and the courage to offer you selfless services in
our neighbours – Amen.
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are free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.
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May God bless you
all+
[1]
The gospel according to Luke. In The new
Jerome biblical commentary (1995). London: Geoffrey Chapman, p. 702.
[2]
William Barclay (2006). The daily study
bible: the gospel of Luke. Bangalore: Theological Publications in India,
p.139.
[3]
Longman dictionary of contemporary
English new edition for advanced learners (2009).
[4]
The New Webster’s Dictionary of the
English language (2000).
[5]
William Barclay (2006). The daily study
bible: the gospel of Luke. Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, p.
139)
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