BE A NEIGHBOR TO OTHERS

 

Homily for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Scriptural Texts: Deuteronomy 30:10-14, Colossians 1:15-20, Luke 10:25-37

 

In our gospel reading of this fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, we read about the famous story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). This story which is only found in the gospel according to Luke is about a man who fell among robbers on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. The road from Jericho to Jerusalem can be likened to the road from Abeokuta to Sango-Ota in terms of deplorability and as the road from Abuja to Kaduna with regard to insecurity. It was common for the travelers of ancient times on this rugged and dangerous road to come under the attack of bandits and robbers. This man was one such victim. He was attacked by robbers and left half dead (Luke 10:30).

Jesus used the story of the Good Samaritan to answer the lawyer’s question about who our neighbor is. In Jewish culture, only a fellow Jew was considered to be a neighbor. Gentiles were not considered neighbors. Both the Jewish priest and Levite failed to be neighbors to the victim. When they saw the dying man, they passed by on the other side of the road (Luke 10:31-32). They deliberately avoided contact with him, perhaps on the ground of ritual defilement or of fear of being attacked as well. The evangelist did not mention the reason behind their attitude but the fact is that the two of them failed to be neighbors to the dying man.

After the priest and the Levite, came a Samaritan. Like the priest and Levite, the Samaritan also saw the man. But unlike the priest and Levite, he did not simply stop at seeing alone. He went a step further. Having seen the man, he was moved to compassion and he went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine; then, he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him (Luke 10:33-34). Amongst the three travelers, it was the Samaritan that proved neighbor to the dying man. It is not enough to simply have some knowledge about the life situation of other people. Our knowledge of their situation and condition should move us to concretely care for them. It is when we do that that we truly become neighbors to others. Love is not just a feeling; love is an action.

The Jews claimed to be righteous and despised the Samaritans but it was still the same Samaritan who according to the Jews is far from God that took care of the fallen traveler. The lesson this leaves us with is that we should treat people with care and respect irrespective of who they are. The Samaritan simply saw the wounded man as a human being made in the image of God who needed help. Also, the attitude of the Good Samaritan teaches us that our love for one another is an expression of our love for God. To show mercy and be a neighbor to the needy is the fruit of that love.

The Good Samaritan became a neighbor to the fallen man without minding his race. In our time, we choose our neighbors from the point of view of those who relate with us. However, Jesus is telling us to be neighbors to everyone irrespective of their race, creed or class. The Good Samaritan cared for the dying man without counting the risk, the sacrifice, the reward, and the cost. The priest and Levite counted the risk involved but the Samaritan did not. He put his own life on the line to help the victim. The Good Samaritan was traveling at that point but he was ready to sacrifice his planned trip to take care of one who was in need. He also had to take care of the whole financial cost of treating the wounded man. Our world is full of people who desperately need a neighbor. Like the Good Samaritan, we too are invited to be neighbors to those who like the wounded man are in dire need, and we should do so without counting the cost, reward, sacrifice, risks involved or the race of the needy.