We all want to get to heaven.
And to do this we should be holy. But what in
heavens' name is holy? is it doing holy things like
read the Bible and go to church? Well, yes, but
today Jesus offers a different angle on holy. Two
holy people pass up a hurting man. But a lay man, a
little respected Samaritan does the holy thing by
taking care of an injured and dying man. Hmmm, does
that mean serving hurting people is a way of being
holy and getting into heaven?
10 There was a
scholar of the law 11
who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what
must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?
How do you read it?"
He said in reply, "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."
He replied to him, "You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he
said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as
he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They
stripped and beat him and went off leaving him
half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite
side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he
saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was
moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim, poured oil and wine
over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted
him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and
cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and
gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I
have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.'
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."
Prayer
Lord, I want to get to heaven. My plan is to
imitate holy people. Then I'll try to do holy
things. I'll pray. I'll go to Church.
I might even go on a pilgrimage. But then this
gospel comes in and two holy people pass up a
hurting man. A rejected Samaritan does the
truly holy thing and cares for the hurting.
Ah, help me find holiness in helping hurting people. Amen.
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