15TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME C

-

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SAMARITAN?



We have classic ideas about a “Good Samaritan.” Radio stations announce that a “good samaritan” returned a lost bag to its rightful owner without getting anything from the find.  A charitable institution reports about a “good samaritan” making a big donation while remaining anonymous.

In the Gospel today (Lk 10), the Good Samaritan really performs a good work. He personally helps somebody in need. He also uses his resources to help, by paying for the upkeep of the needy person.  But before the Samaritan comes into the picture two other righteous Jews pass by.

There was the priest, who was always religious and pious. There was the Levite who was always present in the Temple.  They passed by. They saw the wounded, dying man by the side of the road. As human beings perhaps they felt pity for the robbery victim. Im sure they were touched at the sight of a suffering fellowman. But they had other things in their mind and so they need to quickly go away.

But the Samaritan was different. He didn’t only see the bloody mess the man was in. He didn’t only feel something in his heart. The gospel said he “felt compassion” (v. 33). What is this compassion? And why did it make the samaritan stand out among that day’s passersby and thus become “good”? 

Compassion is mercy-in-action.  It is like the mercy of God for it is not mere feeling, not mere word, not only good intention, not just a burning desire to help.
 Compassion means acting so as to manifest your love. Without saying a word, the Samaritan stopped on his tracks, bound the wounds of the man, lifted him up in his own animal, and sought a place for him to stay and to heal.  Nothing grandiose, nothing dramatic.

Everyday, we encounter wounded people, yes, more wounded than us. Some of them need someone who will listen to their story. Others need an encouraging word after a disastrous experience. Still a person may need just a smile or a tap on the shoulder or a friendly hug to feel less alone and unhappy.

Is the Lord asking you to have compassion? Is he inspiring you to show your mercy-in-action? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to give us the boldness to be a good samaritan to someone this week.

Popular posts from this blog

HOLY MASS IN FILIPINO (TAGALOG)

-
Image
ANG BANAL NA MISA PAMBUNGAD NA AWIT Pari:    Sa ngalan ng Ama, at ng anak, at ng Espiritu Santo. Bayan: Amen P.         Sumainyo ang Panginoon. B.        At sumainyo rin. P.         Mga kapatid, aminin nating ang ating mga kasalanan upang tayo’y maging marapat sa pagdiriwang ng banal na paghahaing ito.             Sinugong Tagapagpagaling sa mga nagsisisi,             Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. B.        Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. P.        Dumating na Tagapag-anyayang mga makasalana’y magsisi,             Kristo, kaawaan mo kami. B.         Kristo, kaawaan mo kami. P.         Nakaluklok ka sa kanan ng Diyos Ama para ipamagitan kami             Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. B.         Panginoon, kaawaan mo kami. P.         Kaawaan tayo ng makapangyarihang Diyos,             Patawarin tayo sa ating mga kasalanan,             At patnubayan tayo sa buhay na walang hanggan. B.        Amen. GLORIA/ LUWALHATI
Read more

SIMBANG GABI DAY 1: READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

-
Image
FIRST DAY: DECEMBER 16   (from the book: Where is the Child?by Fr. R. Marcos (Makati: StPauls);  pls responsibly acknowledge source when using publicly)   fr tam nguyen's photo First Reading: Isaiah 56:1-3, 6-8   Thus says the Lord: Observe what is right, do what is just, for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.   Hay is the one who does this, whoever holds fast to it: Keeping the sabbath without profaning it, keeping one’s hand from doing any evil. The foreigner joined to the Lord should not say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people”; Nor should the eunuch say, “See, I am a dry tree.” And foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, to become his servants—All who keep the sabbath without profaning it and hold fast to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will
Read more

SIMBANG GABI DAY 2: READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

-
Image
SECOND DAY: December 17   (from the book: Where is the Child?by Fr. R. Marcos (Makati: StPauls);  pls responsibly acknowledge source when using publicly)   fr tam nguyen's photo   First Reading: Genesis 49:2, 8-10   Jacob called his sons and said [to them]: “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel, your father. “You, Judah, shall your brothers praise—your hand on the neck of your enemies;the sons of your father shall bow down to you. Judah is a lion’s cub, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches, lies down like a lion, Like a lioness—who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people’s obedience.”     A.             Short Background on the First Reading   1. Who was Judah? Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (or Israel). Jacob was considered the father of the nation of Israel and his twelve sons were cons
Read more