Word to the Wise
Monday, October 7, 2024 - Monday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gal 1:6-12 and Luke 10:25-37]"Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim? He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy?" Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." [Luke]
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2024 OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
[Galatians 1:6-12 and Luke 10:25-37. This day is celebrated as a "feast" in the Dominican calendar, so the scriptures may vary at Dominican locations.]
Today's gospel scripture features the parable of the Good Samaritan! The lawyer who questioned Jesus about how to prioritize the 613 precepts of the Mosaic Law had the right idea about the law. The two precepts of the love of God and love of neighbor as oneself are the most important. But then the "What if?" kicked in with the question, "And who is my neighbor?" We are told that the lawyer wanted to "justify himself." In short, he sought to narrow the scope of "neighbor" to his own definition and interpretation, which may have excluded the robber's victim. That definition may have kept him from rendering assistance because the victim appeared to be dead, which would have made anyone who touched him "unclean." In other words, the law served as an obstacle to showing mercy. The priest and levite (and the lawyer) were using the law to prohibit the most important precepts of the law!
I visit the Vatican website most days to see what is going on in the international life of the Church. Pope Francis, understandably, is always a big feature. Over and over again the word MERCY appears in his addresses to various groups. "Accompaniment" appears in place of condemnation and exclusion. The lawyer in the parable would not have had anything to do with the Samaritan who showed mercy because of a prejudice existing between Jews and Samaritans. He would not have helped the victim because of his notion of ritual uncleanness, which came from an interpretation of the law. In both cases, mercy is excluded. How often do we allow law and prejudice to blind us from showing mercy to those who become "victims" of law and prejudice? This shows up in the way we use the "What if....?" question to justify our attitudes. The divorced-and-remarried, the LGBTQetc, the immigrant seeking asylum and others may be calling from the roadside. Do we "pass by on the opposite side?" The Good Samaritan didn't ask any questions. He not only showed mercy, but he followed up later. Jesus tells us to follow his example. AMEN