Who is my neighbor? ~ by Phyllis Booth

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Gospel story of the Good Samaritan tends to overshadow the Deuteronomy Reading where Moses reminds us when and where God's commandments are placed in our lives. They were given to us as an aid to help us to live as children of God. Living these commandments will ensure eternal life.

In Colossians, we are told that Jesus is the image of the invisible God and what role he will play in God's plan. Jesus has been given all powers and through him, mankind will be redeemed by the blood of his cross.

The scholar in today's story thought he had the best questions to test Jesus. He knew what had been taught to the people of Israel about eternal life and believed he was following the commandment. He was pleased with himself when Jesus said, "you will live."

However, he wanted to further show his knowledge of the Jewish Law by asking Jesus, "who is my neighbor?" Jesus told the scholar and others the story of a man beaten, robbed and left for dead. A priest, a Levite and a Samaritan came along while the man lay on the road. Only the Samaritan was filled with compassion and tended to his wounds. The scholar gave Jesus the correct answer and Jesus told him to go and do likewise.

We don't know if the young man did as Jesus requested. He probably didn't since he had no respect for the Samaritans in his town because they were considered unclean. To love someone outside your family wasn't heard of in those days.

Jesus wanted the people to include everyone: the leper, the tax collector, the poor and the prostitute. The priest as a leader should have had compassion for the beaten man, but he did not.

The commandment to love God and neighbor as yourself is inclusive. It means to love those who are different in race, color, religion, culture and language. The U.S. is divided now on the question of immigration. We are a nation of immigrants built on the premise of life, liberty and freedom. We say our Constitution gives us certain inalienable rights. Are we true to our beliefs? We say we are made in the image and likeness of God. Are we living the image and likeness of God?