Widening Our Hearts: The Call of the Good Samaritan
In today’s Gospel, a scholar of the law poses a question that resonates deeply with anyone on a journey of faith: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responds not with a new doctrine, but with a question that invites self-reflection: “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
The scholar answers well—he quotes the greatest commandments: love God with all your heart, being, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. But then he presses further, asking, “And who is my neighbor?”
“And who is my neighbor?”
It is here that Jesus tells the powerful parable of the Good Samaritan—a story that not only answers the question, but also redefines the very idea of neighborliness.
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous. A man is attacked, beaten, and left for dead. A priest passes by, then a Levite—both religious leaders—yet both choose to walk away. Perhaps they feared defilement from touching what they thought was a corpse, as Levitical laws dictated (Leviticus 21:1; Numbers 19:11). Their concern for ritual purity overrode the immediate call to mercy.
But then comes a Samaritan—a foreigner, and in the eyes of the Jewish audience, someone unlikely to be the hero of the story. Yet it is he who is moved with compassion. He binds the man's wounds, carries him to safety, and ensures his care. He does not ask questions about race, religion, or social status. He simply sees a fellow human being in need.
Radical Compassion Over Legalism
Our pastor reminded us today that this parable calls us to widen our hearts. It challenges us to go beyond proximity or cultural similarity and instead embrace a shared humanity. The Good Samaritan didn’t act out of obligation or recognition—he acted out of love. And that love, Jesus teaches, is the very heartbeat of the Gospel.
This parable is more than just a lesson in kindness—it’s a revolution of compassion over law. It teaches that mercy is greater than ritual, that love is greater than boundaries, and that every act of true neighborliness reflects the divine.
Who Is My Neighbor?
We live in a world that often encourages us to see others through the lens of difference—ethnicity, religion, political leaning, immigration status. But today’s Gospel reminds us that these divisions do not define our neighbor. Our neighbor is anyone in need, anyone we encounter on the road of life who has been bruised by hardship, injustice, or suffering.
The Good Samaritan's actions mirror the love of Christ—unconditional, sacrificial, and restorative. He didn’t just help the man survive—he helped him heal.
A Call to Each of Us
This parable is not just a moral tale; it’s a personal invitation. Jesus ends with the words: “Go and do likewise.” This is not optional. It is the path to eternal life.
Let us ask ourselves:
Who are the wounded we pass by in our own lives?
Have we become like the priest or the Levite—hesitant to get involved, too busy, or bound by our own “rules”?
Or are we willing, like the Samaritan, to stop, to see, and to act with mercy?
Today, could we respond to that call? Let us choose love over comfort, compassion over convenience, and mercy over judgment. In doing so, we reflect the heart of God and take one step closer to the eternal life we seek.
Let us pray:
Lord Jesus, open my eyes to see my neighbor in every face I encounter. Break down the walls of indifference in my heart. Give me the courage to respond with love, to bind wounds, and to be a source of healing in a hurting world. Teach me to go and do likewise. Amen.