"And who is my neighbor?" Luke 10:29
The story of the Good Samaritan depicts a culturally rejected Samaritan going above and beyond what could be expected to save the life of another unidentified man dying by the side of the road, a dying man whom Christ identifies as a neighbor. The man dying by the side of the road at the hands of robbers is not given a name, class, or nationality by Christ; and so, one can imagine that anyone could be that man by the side of the road° yes, even our worst enemy. To sum up this line of thought, everyone is your neighbor and not a single person is excluded. But how does one treat his neighbor with the same level of love as the good samaritan, especially if one's neighbor is someone difficult to love?
The answer is all about truly "seeing" your neighbor, and to do this, you must see that person the way God sees them. Michael D. O'Brien, a Catholic author, asserts, "Dig deep enough and we are all kings, despite our rags" (Island of the World, 606). Another idea he proposes is that every person is a universe in and of themselves. People are not caverns to be examined, excavated, and archived in a particular category; instead, people are mysteries to be rejoiced in, to be received, and to be reverenced. That means that the most interesting part about my house or workplace is the people inside of it. That means that Jesus was right when he thought every single person was worth living and dying for. So how come we do not often act like we also believe they are worth dying for?
What will it take for me to see and treat others the way God wants me to see and treat them?
Father, on this feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, help us to see and love even the most undesirable person we meet as a person you love and died for. Amen.
Today's Reflection is by:
Austin Smith
Did you know...
Austin Smith is a seminarian in his first year at St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami. His home parish is Nativity in Brandon.
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here.
