On the last Sunday before the start of the Nativity Fast, Fr Vincent Temirov preaches on the parable of the Good Samaritan, read during the Divine Liturgy. The lawyer who asks the Lord Jesus Christ, “Who is my neighbor?” certainly didn’t expect to be told that a Samaritan would also be considered his neighbor. And yet, our Lord challenges him, and us, to share the love of God with any and all who are in need, regardless of ethnic or religious background. Fr Vincent calls on us to examine our hearts for any hardness or unwillingness to pray for or come to the aid of any of our neighbors. “As we see evil in this world increasing,” he says, “our only response can be to show mercy to those around us.”