WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR?
Jesus asks,
"'Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers'
victim?' He answered, 'The one who treated him with mercy.'"
Our heavenly Father
is all-loving and compassionate. In today's Gospel Jesus tells a dramatic story
in response to a scholarly man who wants to understand how to apply God's great
commandment of love to his everyday life circumstances. This man asks, "Who
is my neighbor" (Lk 10:29)? Jesus must have been smiling as He hears this
man challenge Him to explain one's responsibility towards his neighbor. The
Jewish law of love was plain and simple: "You shall love the Lord, your
God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with
all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself" (Lk 10:27).
The real issue for
this man is the definition of who is "my neighbor." He understands
"neighbor" to mean one's fellow citizen who belongs to the same
covenant that God made with the people of Israel. Jesus agrees with this
sincere man but, at the same time, He challenges him to see that God's view of
neighbor goes far beyond his narrow definition. Jesus tells a parable to show
how wide God's love and mercy is towards every fellow human being. That's the
bottom line!
In the Responsorial
Psalm we acclaim, "The Lord will remember His covenant forever. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by
all who delight in them" (Ps 111:2, 5) and with these works may we be
faithful and just toward all. We are called to live a Gospel life each and
every day. Jesus asks the man this question after His story today, "'Which
of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?' He
answered, 'The one who treated him with mercy.' Jesus said to him, 'Go and do
likewise'" (Lk 10:36 - 37).