Word to the Wise
Monday, October 9, 2017 - Monday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jonah 1:1—2:2, 11 and Luke 10:25-37]MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2017. ST. LOUIS BERTRAND, O.P. [Jonah 1:1 - 2:1, 11 and Luke 10:25-37 - The scriptures may vary at Dominican locations.] There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law: How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself ." Jesus replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" [Luke] Jesus' long answer to the law scholar's second question is the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus' short answer would be "Everyone." The law scholar's question, we are told, was motivated by a desire to "justify himself." This is like those many questions that begin with the words:"What if....?" These kinds of questions arise when the gospel makes folks uncomfortable in their attitudes and conduct. The law scholar was hoping that Jesus would ratify in some way his (the scholar's) narrower definition of neighbor. The antipathy between Jew and Samaritan was strong. How could a Samaritan be "neighbor" to a Jew? The parable shows how - through mercy and compassion. If we find ourselves responding to Jesus' words with the "what if" question, we may need to ask if we are justifying ourselves. Jesus' last question to the law scholar is important: "Which of the three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" The scholar answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." That's clear enough! AMEN
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