15th Sunday of the Year C 2016

DOCTRINE AND FAITH

(Deut 30,10-14; Colossians 1,15-20; Luke 10, 25-37: 15th Sunday of the Year C  2016)

  

 

In today’s gospel story, a lawyer asks Jesus: Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus asked him what were written in the Law on the subject matter. Answering, the lawyer quoted two passages in the Scripture that encompass one’s responsibilities. We must love God with all the powers of our beings (Deut 6,5) and we must love our neighbour (originally interpreted as another Jew) as we love ourselves (Lev19,13). Jesus told him that if he fulfilled the content of the two commandments he quoted, he would live. Looking at the gospel story so far, one can, safely, say that the practice of both vertical and horizontal dimensions of love leads to eternal life. Jesus, however, recasts the lawyer’s second question, who is my neighbour? and tells a story to demonstrate what neighbourhood means.

    One of the protagonists, the victim of brigands in Jesus’ story was simply a man: who was he? and what was he? without further qualification or characteristics: just a man. Put this way, Jesus means here that every person, every human being, whoever he/she could be, is my neighbour. His claim to be my neighbour doubles, if he is in anyway in some difficulties or in need of help, just as the unfortunate victim of Jesus’ story. Jesus goes on to show two opposing attitudes to the victim of the story. Jesus criticized the indifferent and insensitive comportment of the Priest and the Levite who avoided any contact with the victim as they passed by and continued their journey. The compassionate attitude of the Samaritan, who took care of him, was regarded as charitable and, therefore, commendable. When Jesus asks the lawyer who became really a neighbour to the victim, he responded that it was the one who had compassion for him. Jesus then added: Go and do the same yourself.

    It is to be noted that the lawyer had put a question to Jesus: Who is my neighbour? Jesus implicitly answered the question: It is that person, everyone especially if he/she has need of your help. But for Jesus, what is important is not knowing whom my neighbour could be. Rather, the important issue is to make oneself a neighbour, make yourself a brother and a sister to all. It is in having this type of attitude and comportment that we realize, concretely, the love of our neighbour.

    Apart from the main lessons of this parable, one wonders what other purpose does religion serve if not to show and lead to love? In what other ways do we express our faith if not in the expression of love and charity. We lament the lack of love in certain quarters of our society, and the indifference attitude of some of us who live as if they have completely forgotten the law of God, especially the fundamental law that upholds the practice of love within the society. But think of the gravity of the scandal when it is we, practicing and communicant Catholics, who are guilty of insensitivity and selfishness in the face of the needs of our needy neighbours. Such attitudes and comportments are condemned. Unfortunately, they disfigure in an irreparable manner the image of the Church and Christianity. On the other hand, it is to be noted with pride and admiration when some of us who put some efforts to alleviate the sufferings and difficulties of our neighbours even in little things. Jesus indicates the attitude and comportment of the good Samaritan as worthwhile example to be imitated. Therefore, may the solemn and active participation in the Eucharistic liturgy enkindle in us the desire to make ourselves neighbours to people as we encounter Jesus, the first good Samaritan, that made us his neighbours through his incarnation and the Paschal mystery of his passion, death and resurrection. +John I. Okoye