Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 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. 35 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.’

36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

What and How do you read it?

The parable narrated by St. Luke is one of the most known where Jesus is teaching us not only to know our loving and merciful God, but to practice this in our daily behavior.

Let us have some time to read the text again and concentrate on a few thoughts inspired by it.

An educated person tries to test, if not to trap, Jesus. He is asking Him questions, but Jesus responds with another question, not to escape answering, but inviting that person to think deeper and to see where he stands.

Jesus asks two questions:

What do you read?

How do you understand it and translate it into your life!?

Jesus responds with respect and invites the knowledgeable lawyer to practice what he knows. It’s amazing how the educated person is trying to justify himself by asking a more difficult question: Who is my neighbor?

Jesus is not going to argue about the philosophical concept of "the neighbor,” rather He gives a parable that everybody may understand and consider.

There was a man left on the road naked, between alive and dead. There are two ways to tell that you can't identify the man, through his dress and that he can't tell you who he is. He’s a human person that could be one of your family members, one of your neighbors, from your town, a citizen of your country, or someone you have never met... Just a human being.

Without judging the priest or the Levite who passed by the injured man without offering any help, and admiring the stranger who took compassion on him and spent some of his energy, time and money to save the injured and forsaken gentleman, consider that the Lord is addressing the same question to you, “Who became the neighbor of this man?"

Even if he wasn't a neighbor, out of mercy, the stranger who took care of him became his neighbor! Even the lawyer confesses that it was “the one who showed him mercy.”

How do I think about this dialogue and what do I learn from it for myself as I hear Jesus saying, “Go and do the same?”

The Gospel may be summed up with these verses:

"God is Love" 1 John 4:16

"God cannot deny Himself" 2 Timothy 2:13

"Show me your faith by your works" James 2:18

"Love your God and your neighbor as yourself "Matthew 22:37-39

"Go and Do the same" Luke 10: 37 (This is the Lord's voice to us today, reminding us of our Christian vocation.)

"Blessed are the Merciful, for they will Receive Mercy!" Matthew 5:7

Am I the educated lawyer or the stranger who knows to become the neighbor to another? Why not be both according to Jesus’ model and teaching?!