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Huddles for the Good Samaritan (Monday 27th Week Ordinary Time 2020)
Luke 10
One of the reasons Christianity grew as a world religion is its universality – that’s is, God of Christianity does not discriminate; He gives good things to all people. The Good Samaritan shows well this spirit of impartiality and benevolence. At the same time, this parable teaches us what Christians should be able to overcome to be like the Lord. But the barriers don’t seem easy to overcome because they are critical values for individuals and communities. To break these barriers can be risky as well as uncomfortable. Here they are:
First, blood-relationship, race, or ethnicity. As we see recently in our North America, race and ethnicity become sources of division and discrimination. The Good Samaritan had to overcome the dividing barrier between Samaritans and Jews. Blood, race, and ethnicity can bind us one, but at the same time, they can divide us.
Second, religion. The priest and the Levite avoided the half-dead Jew because any contact with blood or dead people made them ritually unclean that they might not carry out their priestly duties. Religion is to promote human dignity, but here we see an irony that we can become blind to God’s will because of religious rules. And this is still relevant to our times.
Third, safety and security. By carrying the wounded man, the Samaritan risked his safety because it would slow him down in the dangerous area where bandits often attack people. When we don’t take a risk at all, we cannot help others. Doesn’t love always make us vulnerable?
Fourth, money and finance. In our times, financial security tops our priorities in life. When a church community puts all its trust in money, it degenerates into a symbol of hypocrisy. The Good Samaritan not only saved the Jew but also took care of him out of his resources.
Can I abandon these values for the benefit of some unknown person? What if my effort turns out useless or even harmful to the person? What if I get into trouble because of my good intention? What if the person is not worthy of my help? How was the Good Samaritan sure that his effort would be beneficial at all? Probably he was not sure of anything. But he trusted in God and put hope in God. Only when we put our faith and hope in the Lord, we will be able to go beyond all our values and become His instruments for his perfect love for all.
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By Fr Swann KimLuke 10
One of the reasons Christianity grew as a world religion is its universality – that’s is, God of Christianity does not discriminate; He gives good things to all people. The Good Samaritan shows well this spirit of impartiality and benevolence. At the same time, this parable teaches us what Christians should be able to overcome to be like the Lord. But the barriers don’t seem easy to overcome because they are critical values for individuals and communities. To break these barriers can be risky as well as uncomfortable. Here they are:
First, blood-relationship, race, or ethnicity. As we see recently in our North America, race and ethnicity become sources of division and discrimination. The Good Samaritan had to overcome the dividing barrier between Samaritans and Jews. Blood, race, and ethnicity can bind us one, but at the same time, they can divide us.
Second, religion. The priest and the Levite avoided the half-dead Jew because any contact with blood or dead people made them ritually unclean that they might not carry out their priestly duties. Religion is to promote human dignity, but here we see an irony that we can become blind to God’s will because of religious rules. And this is still relevant to our times.
Third, safety and security. By carrying the wounded man, the Samaritan risked his safety because it would slow him down in the dangerous area where bandits often attack people. When we don’t take a risk at all, we cannot help others. Doesn’t love always make us vulnerable?
Fourth, money and finance. In our times, financial security tops our priorities in life. When a church community puts all its trust in money, it degenerates into a symbol of hypocrisy. The Good Samaritan not only saved the Jew but also took care of him out of his resources.
Can I abandon these values for the benefit of some unknown person? What if my effort turns out useless or even harmful to the person? What if I get into trouble because of my good intention? What if the person is not worthy of my help? How was the Good Samaritan sure that his effort would be beneficial at all? Probably he was not sure of anything. But he trusted in God and put hope in God. Only when we put our faith and hope in the Lord, we will be able to go beyond all our values and become His instruments for his perfect love for all.