91. The Good Samaritan

But the man, desiring to justify himself, asked, “Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus answered, “A man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, leaving him half dead. By chance a priest was going down that way; when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite, when he saw the man, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, and came to him, binding up his wounds, and pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put the man on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two day’s wages, and gave them to the host, saying, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will pay you when I return.’ Now which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?”

He said, “The one who showed mercy to him.”

Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Reflection

Those who heard this story in Jesus’ day would have been shocked, not by the actions of the Priest and the Levite, but that any Samaritan could be cast in the role of a hero. If Jesus were speaking to the church today, this might be the story of ‘The Good Muslim,’ or ‘The Good Transgendered Person.’ How would that change the story for you?

Prayer: When I think of loving my neighbor, Lord, remind me it may well be someone who is not much like me.