In our Gospel today, there are two key questions asked. The first is the one asked by the scholar of the law, and one that I think we all ask at some point (at least I hope so), and that is, “What do I need to do to one day enter God’s kingdom?”. Jesus answers with His own question – “What is in the law?”. That is kind of like asking us today, “What have you read in the bible about my teachings, and what have I told you is important?”. The answer has not changed – love God, and your neighbor. Yet, as direct an answer as that may seem, the scholar presses the question a bit further – “Who is my neighbor”? This is not a silly question. What he is really asking is, “do I really need to love all of those around me?”.
I think this is where we struggle today as well, probably more often than we even realize. Are we truly called to love EVERYONE? It’s so easy to come up with reasons to exclude people from this command, and whether we want to admit it or not, we are all victims of our own prejudice. No matter how much we may try to keep an open mind about those around us, our natural inclination is to categorize, and to label. This is in part a cognitive characteristic that helps us process information about those around us, but it also is a facet of our spiritual makeup (residual from the fall) that the enemy exploits. The categories we place others in are sometimes less than flattering in their affiliations and definitions, no matter how much we may struggle to keep that from happening, and this is where the enemy leverages this to his advantage.
When Jesus told the scholar the parable of the good Samaritan, there is more there than simply showing off someone who did kindly deeds at his own trouble and expense. The Jewish people hated the Samaritans. They looked a bit different, they dressed differently, their language sounded different, and their beliefs about God were not aligned with the Jewish teachings. In other words there were many different things that any Jew could point to as reasons not to associate with or care about these folks. Yet our Lord demonstrates in the parable that even those seen as the highest in Jewish cultural circles – the Priest and the Levite, could be eclipsed in their righteousness by this outcast who was generally loathed by this culture. This would have been a very tough message to swallow, and yet our Lord is specific in His direction about the Samaritans actions – “Go and do likewise”. He does not mention any exceptions, He does not allow for any personal interpretation, He is not going to let our human weaknesses from original sin be used as a way to exclude. We are to treat everyone as a neighbor, as someone to be loved, cared for, and helped along their way in this life, and as people worthy of being guided toward the truths that we know will help them on their way to eternal life. No matter how they look, no matter what their social or religious beliefs, no matter what their attitude toward us is, they are all – every one of them worthy of this effort from us for exactly one reason – God created them, and loves, and desires them in His kingdom. To love Him, we must love all of them.
The Deacons Bench 