"Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands' hands?" Luke 10:36

There is something rather uncomfortable about the parable of the Good Samaritan. Most of us imagine ourselves as the Samaritan. We like to think we would stop. We would help. We would do the right thing.

Yet perhaps the first question is not whether we are the Samaritan. Perhaps it is whether we have ever walked past.

The story begins with a lawyer asking Jesus a profound question.
"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke 10:25

Jesus answers by asking what the Law says.

The lawyer replies: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself." Luke 10:27

Then comes the question that still echoes today. "And who is my neighbour?" Luke 10:29 Instead of giving a definition, Jesus tells a story. A man is beaten, robbed and left half dead by the roadside. A priest comes along. He sees him He passes by. A Levite follows. He also sees him. He passes by. Finally, a Samaritan arrives.

To Jesus' listeners, this was the last person they expected to become the hero. Yet the Samaritan does something the others failed to do. He allows himself to be interrupted. He notices. He stops. He kneels. He tends the man's wounds. He gives up his own time. He spends his own money. He expects nothing in return.

That is what love looks like. The priest and the Levite may have had reasons for passing by. Perhaps they feared an ambush. Perhaps they were late. Perhaps they had important duties awaiting them.

Jesus offers no explanation. Only one simple fact. They walked on. How often do we do the same? Not because we are unkind. Not because we do not care. But because life is busy. We have appointments. Shopping. Meetings. Telephones to answer. Messages to send. Sometimes the greatest obstacle to Christian charity is not malice. It is hurry.

The Samaritan teaches us that encounter begins the moment we allow ourselves to notice another person.

The lonely parishioner lingering after Mass. The neighbour whose curtains have remained closed for several days. The young parent struggling to cope. The colleague who says they are "fine" but whose eyes tell another story. We cannot solve every problem. Christ never asks us to. He simply asks us not to cross the road. Perhaps today someone needs less than we imagine. A smile. A conversation. A visit. A prayer. A helping hand. Small acts of love often become the greatest acts of mercy.

Jesus ends the parable with words that leave no room for misunderstanding.

"Go, and do the same yourself." Luke 10:37 Those words were spoken to the lawyer. Today, they are spoken to us.

A Moment for Reflection Think back over the past week. Was there someone whose need you noticed but did nothing about? Was there someone Christ placed beside your path? How might you respond differently next time?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, Give me eyes to notice those whom others overlook. Slow my hurried pace. Open my heart to compassion. Teach me not merely to see my neighbour, but to love my neighbour as you have loved me.
Amen.

Walking with Christ This Week

• Make one deliberate decision to cross the road.

• Speak to someone who is usually unnoticed.

• Visit someone who may be lonely.

• Offer help before it is asked for.

• Allow yourself to be interrupted.

You may discover that Christ was waiting for you there.

By Johannes
A Lay Voice at Saint Charles Borromeo

Scripture quotations are taken from the RNJB Catholic Bible Study Edition