Dear People of God

The question that Jesus answered through his parable this weekend, is not: “Who is my neighbor?” but “Am I a neighbor?” who can show mercy to those in need like what the Good Samaritan did. According to Dr. Bergsma, there is a deeper level of meaning to the parable.

The beaten man is a symbol of everyman, of the human condition.

The priest and Levite represent the Old Covenant, the Mosaic covenant, which is good in itself but does not have power to save us.

The Good Samaritan is a type of Jesus himself, rejected by the religious leaders, who nonetheless comes to us and condescends to bandage our “wounds” and care for us, even though it means “contaminating” himself by contact with our corruption and sin.

We should show the same compassion to others as Jesus did to us and be willing to overlook differences of race, religion, political party, culture, etc. that would otherwise prevent us from recognizing a person as our “neighbor.” This does not mean approval of or condoning of sin and sinful lifestyles that lead to self-destruction, but rather loving others despite their sin and drawing them through love to find the joy of walking according to God’s law.

May Our Lady of Joy and St. Joseph help us to love our neighbor as Jesus did.

Yours in Christ through Mary Immaculate.

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