A Fresh Look at the Good Samaritan

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This Sunday's Gospel is the story of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10: 25-37) Tonight is Bible Sharing, so I was reviewing our topic.  What I find as an invaluable tool in understanding scripture is Dr. John J. Pilch.  He is a biblical scholar concentrating on cultural-historical background.  Regarding the good Samaritan, everyone learns the lesson to help your neighbor. However, Dr. Pilch took me even deeper; I now have an ever greater admiration for this good Samaritan. Did you notice that the wounded man was naked?  That means that you couldn't tell whether he was a Jew or a Samaritan.  So the Samaritan had compassion on the man, not knowing whether the wounded man was friend or foe. ( It gets even better!)  After ministering to the wounded man, and after taking care of his needs and future needs, this Samaritan (I emphasize: this GOOD Samaritan.) was taking a considerable (and possibly foolhardy) chance.  Think about it.  Think Levitican Law. "An eye for an eye..."

If this wounded man was Jewish, and he died under the care of this Samaritan, this very Good Samaritan would have been killed by the deceased relatives.  It was the law.  They would have been obligated to kill him, regarding whatever good intentions a passerby may have had.  (This happens today. Bystanders hesitate to help for fear of being sued--and they sometimes are, regardless of Good Samaritan Laws.)  And I think due to the political climate in Jesus' times, the Jews would readily have killed the Samaritan.

Knowing this, would you have helped this wounded man in the ditch?  Also, do you have more empathy for the priest and Levite who passed him by?

A Suspicious Samaritan

My "cloistered brothers" and I were doing group Lectio Divina.  We were reading Luke 10: 25-37.  This is the parable of the Good Samaritan.  We shared our thoughts.

Most of the "cloistered brothers" identified with the robbers--at least for a part of their lives.  Some identified with the innkeeper, who probably wrestled with his conscience, regarding whether or not he could take advantage of the Samaritan.

Personally?  No matter how many times I read the story, I always identified with the Samaritan.  I could see myself coming across someone who needed help.  Upon my first reading, my thoughts were confused and rushed:

How can I help?
He's a Jew.
He may be repulsed by my being a Samaritan.
I can't take him home.
I can't take him to an inn, I have no money.
Who knows how much this will cost?
I have no other means to help him.

Then I listened to my "cloistered brothers" share their thoughts. This time, some said they were the priests; they never would have noticed the man in the ditch.  Custody of the eyes, you know.

I read it again.  This time I identified what my problem was.  Again, I was the Samaritan.  Again, I thought of excuses why I couldn't help the man.  I concluded that I couldn't take a chance that this entire scene wasn't a "set up."  If I went to help him, I would immediately be set upon by the robbers.  The wounded man was a trap.  And even if it wasn't, the wounded man might sue me for causing more damage to him than the original violence.

See, I was AFRAID to get involved.

And I justified my passing by the wounded man, by saying that I'd go for help.  I'd look for some Jewish people who could help a fellow Jew.  This is what I determined the intelligent answer.

Although my cloistered brothers and I, shared our thoughts, regarding the different roles we were playing, I don't think anyone identified with the wounded man, who needed help.

Isn't that odd?  We are all wounded.  We all have needed help, at one time, or another.

Art thou the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened...?

This morning I was reading Dominican Daily, specifically Br. Raymund Synder, O.P., Smoke and Frescoes: the Papal Buzzand , and I was provoked to scream.

It is a pet peeve of mine  that people who are selfish, self-centered, self absorbed, self-interested, self-involved, and egocentric boors, absolve their boorish behavior in smug self-righteous, holier than thou justification.  The article, Smoke and Frescoes: the Papal Buzz, is the perfect example.

Br. Raymund waxes poetic how admirable it is to remain above the fray.

"B" as in B___, and "S" as in S___.

Your neighbor needs you, and you are unaware.  How will you know this and call for help, unless you look out the window and see smoke coming out of his house?
A natural disaster has occurred in your country.  How will you be able to go help, unless you watch TV, listen to the radio, read media reports?
A far-off country is at war and needs prayers and money.  How will you be able to respond, unless you are alert to what's happening in the world?
The Jews are being slaughtered in concentration camps.  How can you demand for something to be done, unless you listen and see?
A man has been assaulted and thrown in a ditch?  How can a Samaritan respond, unless he is alert to his surroundings?
Sede Vacante.  How do you pray for the judicious discernment of the cardinal electors, unless you pay attention to the media?

Art thou the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?  (Luke 24: 18-19)

Where have you been?  Have you been on a toot for the past three days?  Were you in a coma?  Didn't you notice how dark it became, three days ago; the sun darkened and the curtain of the temple was torn down the middle?  How could you not know?

Jesus, the Christ was crucified, and according to scriptures rose after three days, proving that He is the long awaited Messiah and atoning for mankind's sins and breaking the bonds of Satan and...

How could you not know?  Oh, I see.  You practice custody of the eyes.  You don't want to commit the sin of curiositas.

I think it is better to err on the side of curiosity than pharisaic excuses. I think God prefers the spirit rather than the words.  I mean, stay alert to what's happening.  You don't have to live for it, but pay attention.  Don't be LAZY and justify your apathetic behavior by cloaking it in attributions of religious beatitudes.

I am reminded of a joke a religious Sister once told me.  She told of a Sister who was looking at the newspapers spread out on the table and inquired;

"Who is this poor unfortunate woman, Pearl Harbor, that was attacked?"

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Where are the good Samaritans?

Last night I was at a club meeting.  I usually bring a member who is handicapped and can't drive.  It's a little inconvenient, but I do it anyway.  At the meeting, another member arrived who lives much closer to my friend than I do.  I asked her to take my friend home.

She very nicely excused herself from that.  She explained that the last time she brought her home, her car got stuck on the steep slope of her driveway.  She drives a standard and she couldn't back up out of her driveway.  My friend's son had to come out and drive her car out.

I understand.  But my friend said, "You don't have to go in the driveway.  I'll walk down.  My husband will meet me and walk down with me."

She still said "No."  She still wasn't comfortable with that arrangement.

It reminded me of the story of the Good Samaritan.  (Like 10: 29-37)  It has been thought that the reason the two Levites passed the injured man along the side of the road, was because the two priests would have made themselves "unclean" by touching him.  I find that inexcusable.  Whatever the reason they passed him by, even if it were because they didn't see him, the reason is still selfish.  They were thinking of themselves, first, not their neighbor's needs.

That's not the end of the story.  Upon leaving, I told my friend that I'd walk out first and bring the car up closer.  But I saw that the light wasn't too good on the steps.  So I asked the closest person to me to go back and help my friend, while I get the car.  She told me that she wasn't too steady herself, and wouldn't be able to.

I asked someone else.  She said that she couldn't see very well, herself.  It would be like the blind leading the blind.

I succeeded in bringing my friend home.  And I did it by myself!

Hubby thinks the reason is that people are so litigation conscious.  They're afraid if they help anyone, and the person falls, they'll be sued.  If fact, he questioned whether I should help her, anymore.

What do you think?