Sunday, July 11, 2010

Just When I Thought It Was Easy

"Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."
- Mother Teresa


In today's Gospel reading (Lk 10:25-37) about the Good Samaritan, Luke reminded me how hard it is to really follow the Golden Rule.

On the surface, it seems easy. I mean, most of us, if we saw a person injured on the side of the road, would stop and help. (Or at the very least call 911, right?)

But when you dig deeper into the historical significance of the parable, you realize it isn't so easy after all.

Jews and Samaritans despised each other. The Samaritans taunted the Jews. In return, the Jews considered the Samaritans to be unclean outcasts, and cursed them when seeing them in synagogues. It was a rivalry that had been in place hundreds of years before Jesus.

And so this parable wasn't just about loving and helping a wounded person by the side of the road. It was about loving and helping a hated enemy.

I don't know about you, but I have a hard time loving the guy that cuts me off on the highway, let alone a hated enemy.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again .... I've sure got a long way to go!

God Bless.

5 comments:

Karinann said...

Me too! And some days it seems longer than others.
Thanks, Michael and God bless.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Hey ... you're not alone.

It is very difficult to love one's neighbor ...(thinks) ... especially when mine keeps parking his car opposite my drive and blocks me in.

God bless.

Anne said...

Count me in! The road to holiness seems to stretch far beyond me, and no matter how fast I run, I never seem to get any closer to doing the good I want to do.

Anonymous said...

Another provocative post Michael. Yes, life can be very frustrating sometimes. I seem to fail over and over again LOL but I do keep trying and can only hope God will take that into account. I hope you have a great week. Many blessing to you.
Carol

Happy Catholic said...

Hi Michael - another of your blogging friends weighing in to say that I am in the working on loving my enemy camp. I glared at man the other day because of a minor inconvenience and then couldn't summon the graciousness to apologize. Seriously, thank God for His Infinte Mercy because I would be lost without it.

Great post and after reading your thoughts here I am thinking you will want to read the "Angry Priest, Holy Priest" story I just posted.

You are a blessing!

HC