1. The lawyer who questioned Jesus was not keen on seeking truth but was wanting to trip Jesus. But Jesus gives an answer which the lawyer never expected.
First the law has the answer to eternal life. If a man wishes eternal life, he must look into the law of God.
Second, love God supremely. Loving God is alive and active, not dead and inactive. We are therefore, to maintain a personal relationship with God that is alive and active.
Third, love your neighbour as yourself. Love is not known without showing it. The modern and relevant saint Don Bosco has told us, ‘it is not enough that you love the young but make the young feel that you really love them’
2. There was a traveler who was foolish and irresponsible. He was foolish because he traveled the road between Jerusalem and Jericho that was known for its danger. It was about twenty one miles in distance, in a wild country, a rugged, corky pass much of the way. It was a favorite habitat for marauding thieves, so much so it was a called the Way of Blood. How many are foolish and reckless in life, exposing and destroying their bodies and souls by walking where they should not dare to walk?
3. There was a priest who placed his religious work and ceremony before the welfare of the man. The priest was probably hurrying to meet his evening religious duties. The trip was a day’s journey, and he would have to rush to make it. There is also a religious rule that made a person unclean for seven days which would disqualify the priest from offering sacrifices in the temple. The priest is not willing to sacrifice his primary work and privilege for the sake of this man.There was the Levite who placed safety before compassion. The Levite touched with enough feeling to walk over and look upon the man. He did not dare to help him perhaps of the fear of being identified with the robbers or may be scared of the robbers themselves.
The good Samaritan placed compassion before everything else. He kept aside his prejudice and opinion. He generously gave his time, energy and money
· The injured man was a Jew. The Good Samaritan and the Jew were of different races – who hated and despised each other.
· He gave went to him, reached out personally to help. He bandaged his wounds, poured oil and wine into these wounds; gave of his own goods. He set on his own donkey sacrificing his own comforts. He provided room and basic necessities and finally He took care of him personally.
· He saw to it that continued compassion and care was given. Two silver coins amounted to somewhere between twenty four to forty eight days of room and board, a considerable sum. He was ready even to pay more.
5. Who are these Samaritan? The Samaritans were mongrel or half-Jews, a mixed breed by birth. What had happened was this. Around 720 BC, the king of Assyria had captured the ten tribes of Israel and deported a large number of the people, scattering them throughout Media. He then took people from all over the Assyrian empire and transplanted them into Samaria to repopulate the land. The result was only natural. Intermarriage took place and the people became a mixed breed, a breed including the transplanted people, the weak of the land who had been left behind and the outcast and irreligious who had intermarried with the original Samaritans. The fact of a mixed breed, of course, infuriated the strict Jews who held to a pure race.
We have read, heard and enacted this parable umpteen number of times and that could be one of the reasons why many fail to reflect on this parable sufficiently. We always think that we know the content and the meaning of the parable and seldom listen to it when it is read during the liturgical service. It is one of the most relevant parables for today. How many times we have seen people meeting with the road accident and keep asking our help? There are still many good Samaritans who are ready to take risks but several of us, just become passive spectators. Charity involves a lot of risk. The two silver coins spent by the Good Samaritan could have been used to buy provision for a month for his family. He knew he was taking a big risk and he did take. How many of us are ready to take risks for the sake of our needy brethren?
Courtesy
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
First the law has the answer to eternal life. If a man wishes eternal life, he must look into the law of God.
Second, love God supremely. Loving God is alive and active, not dead and inactive. We are therefore, to maintain a personal relationship with God that is alive and active.
Third, love your neighbour as yourself. Love is not known without showing it. The modern and relevant saint Don Bosco has told us, ‘it is not enough that you love the young but make the young feel that you really love them’
2. There was a traveler who was foolish and irresponsible. He was foolish because he traveled the road between Jerusalem and Jericho that was known for its danger. It was about twenty one miles in distance, in a wild country, a rugged, corky pass much of the way. It was a favorite habitat for marauding thieves, so much so it was a called the Way of Blood. How many are foolish and reckless in life, exposing and destroying their bodies and souls by walking where they should not dare to walk?
3. There was a priest who placed his religious work and ceremony before the welfare of the man. The priest was probably hurrying to meet his evening religious duties. The trip was a day’s journey, and he would have to rush to make it. There is also a religious rule that made a person unclean for seven days which would disqualify the priest from offering sacrifices in the temple. The priest is not willing to sacrifice his primary work and privilege for the sake of this man.There was the Levite who placed safety before compassion. The Levite touched with enough feeling to walk over and look upon the man. He did not dare to help him perhaps of the fear of being identified with the robbers or may be scared of the robbers themselves.
The good Samaritan placed compassion before everything else. He kept aside his prejudice and opinion. He generously gave his time, energy and money
· The injured man was a Jew. The Good Samaritan and the Jew were of different races – who hated and despised each other.
· He gave went to him, reached out personally to help. He bandaged his wounds, poured oil and wine into these wounds; gave of his own goods. He set on his own donkey sacrificing his own comforts. He provided room and basic necessities and finally He took care of him personally.
· He saw to it that continued compassion and care was given. Two silver coins amounted to somewhere between twenty four to forty eight days of room and board, a considerable sum. He was ready even to pay more.
5. Who are these Samaritan? The Samaritans were mongrel or half-Jews, a mixed breed by birth. What had happened was this. Around 720 BC, the king of Assyria had captured the ten tribes of Israel and deported a large number of the people, scattering them throughout Media. He then took people from all over the Assyrian empire and transplanted them into Samaria to repopulate the land. The result was only natural. Intermarriage took place and the people became a mixed breed, a breed including the transplanted people, the weak of the land who had been left behind and the outcast and irreligious who had intermarried with the original Samaritans. The fact of a mixed breed, of course, infuriated the strict Jews who held to a pure race.
We have read, heard and enacted this parable umpteen number of times and that could be one of the reasons why many fail to reflect on this parable sufficiently. We always think that we know the content and the meaning of the parable and seldom listen to it when it is read during the liturgical service. It is one of the most relevant parables for today. How many times we have seen people meeting with the road accident and keep asking our help? There are still many good Samaritans who are ready to take risks but several of us, just become passive spectators. Charity involves a lot of risk. The two silver coins spent by the Good Samaritan could have been used to buy provision for a month for his family. He knew he was taking a big risk and he did take. How many of us are ready to take risks for the sake of our needy brethren?
Courtesy
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
No comments:
Post a Comment