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Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 14 July 2013


Old road from Jericho to Jerusalem

Old road from Jericho to Jerusalem

As with many of the parables of Jesus, the story of the good Samaritan has a clear story line that anybody can pick up, a traveler, robbed, wounded and possibly left to die by the wayside is seen by several people two of who are Jewish religious figures, they pass on by. A Samaritan, one outside the faith of Israel looks after him, takes him to an inn not only paying for board; lodging and care but promises to return to see the man on his way back. So far it is quite clear what Jesus is doing, answering a particular question from a lawyer about a detail of the great commandment, ‘who is my neighbour?’

Whilst we may think what Jesus says is obvious, it was not necessarily so to those who heard the original story. As always there are different layers of perception to Jesus ‘parables, they need thinking through a little further because they usually challenge us go a little deeper. In this case some of the deeper meaning is about the place of religion and its observance in the public life of individuals. In some ways one can sympathise with the Levite and priest, they were hedged in by laws, including uncleanliness regulations. Breaking them would be very serious indeed and of course the Torah was central to their relationship with God and neighbour.

Also they may have been forgiven for thinking it was a trap, set by brigands to rob them. A difficult choice, but they were not prepared to t hake a risk, to see what Paul calls ‘the image of the unseen God’ in that body collapsed on an inhospitable highway. Jesus reminds us that life is ours if we follow the commandment to love God and our neighbour as ourselves.

It seems so simple, but it is often so hard, and yet we cannot walk on by when we discover those in need next to us. It might mean for instance being a bit uncomfortable, having to listen to the endless repetition of somebody’s needs. It might be the practical love of looking the sick neighbour or help righting a wrong. That is the challenge for us, to look further, to take a risk, it is better to make mistakes doing things for the sake of the Kingdom than not to do anything at all.

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