Fifteenth Sunday of the Ordinary Time [C]<\/p>\n\n\n\n
July 14, 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luke 10:25-27<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The journey from Jericho to Jerusalem was notoriously\ndangerous. The path was narrow, steep, filled by sudden turnings. The road\nbecame the favorite spot for the robbers to ambush any unguarded traveler. Some\ncriminals were often violent, not only they took everything from the victims,\nbut they would beat them mercilessly. Up to early twentieth century, some\ntourists and pilgrims were caught off guard when they passed this path, as\ntheir cars were ambushed and robbed. The brigands would swiftly escape before\nthe police came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the teacher of the Law asks Jesus, \u201cwho is our neighbor\nwhom we shall love?\u201d Jesus offers him three models to imitate. They are a\npriest, a Levite and a Samaritan. The priest and the Levite are a privileged\nsocial class in ancient Jewish society. They are consecrated to serve in the\nTemple of Jerusalem. The priests who are the descendants of Aaron, are to\naccept sacrifice from the people and offer the sacrifice to the Lord at the\naltar. Meanwhile the Levites are assigned to take care of the temple, to do\nother liturgical services and assist the priests. Both the priest and the\nLevite represent a group of people who are dedicating themselves to the Lord,\nthe Law and the Temple, who love their religion dearly. Meanwhile the Samaritan\nrepresents what the Jews hate. The pure Jews look down the Samaritans because\nthey are products of intermarriage between unorthodox Jews and other pagan\nnations as well as idolaters who worship God plus other smaller gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By religious standard, the priest and the Levite outrank the\nSamaritan, but Jesus drops the nuclear bomb as He makes the Samaritan as the\nhero of the story. We may ask why the priest and Levite refuse to help? One\nreason is that the priest needs to be away from any blood or dead body,\notherwise he would be impure for seven days and he will not be able to serve\nthe Temple [see Num 19:11]. The Levi seems to do little better as he goes\nnearer to the victim, but he decided not to help perhaps because he is afraid\nthat the guy just serves a decoy to ambush him. Here comes the Samaritan who\nhelps without hesitation. Not only coming to his rescue, the Samaritan makes\nsure that the victim will be healed and recover, though he must spend his own\nresources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Placing ourselves in the shoes of the Samaritan man, we know\nthat his decision to help the victim is daring and even reckless. What if it\nwas just a set-up for ambush? What if he runs out of money? What if the victim\nwould never thank him and even hate him even more? Yet, this is what to love\nour neighbor means. To love someone is to show mercy and to show mercy means to\ngive beyond what is due.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the memorable works Mother Teresa did in Calcutta was\nto establish a home for the dying. One day, she walked pass a hospital and saw\na woman who terribly sick. The mother rushed her to the hospital. Yet, the\nperson in the hospital refused her, saying, \u201cthere is no room for her in the\nhospital!\u201d Mother Teresa stayed outside of the hospital, embracing the dying\nlady till she breathed her last. Since then, the saint promised that she would\nmake sure that the dying would die with dignity. In the early days of this\nhospice, Mother Teresa was ridiculed and criticized, yet she and her sisters\npersevered because they knew that for those who were dying, this may be the\nlast act of mercy they received before they passed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If we expect something big in return, it is not love, it is\ninvestment. If we just want to be appreciated after doing good, it is not love,\nit is a showoff. If we do not want to get hurt, it is not love, it is comfort\nzone. Love is tough, mercy is heroic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deacon Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Fifteenth Sunday of the Ordinary Time [C] July 14, 2019 Luke 10:25-27 The journey from Jericho to Jerusalem was notoriously dangerous. The path was narrow, steep, filled by sudden turnings. The road became the favorite spot for the robbers to ambush any unguarded traveler. Some criminals were often violent, not only they took everything from the victims, but they would beat them mercilessly. Up to early twentieth century, some tourists and pilgrims were caught off guard when they passed this…<\/p>\n