“Go and do likewise’, Jesus tells us today. As true disciples of Christ and as members of his church, this is what we attempt to do each and every day. We seek to assist those in need. We seek to forgive those who have hurt us. We reach out to those who are brokenhearted. We try to love each and every person that God brings into our lives as He loves us. The parable of the Good Samaritan is a perfect example of what we try to be each day.
While this beautiful story is so familiar to us, we too have wondered who our neighbor is and just how we can help others in time of need. Each one of us employs our gifts and talents to help others stand on their own as our care and assistance, our prayers and encouragement lift them up on their journey. Our faith story, as we share it, offers hope to others and our service, given in love, helps restore their dignity and their humanity.
God has written his law of love on our hearts and as we open that sacred heart to God and our neighbor, we fulfill the command so lovingly placed in our hearts. In this, we not only discover our neighbor, but we become a neighbor. This is not always the easiest thing to do as we can be distracted by self-centeredness. So we often find it difficult to pour ourselves out, but like that Good Samaritan, we do what we can, when we can, with what we have. It may be hard to stop and see the one who needs us, but once we see, we cannot just pass by. May we continue to look and see our neighbor, to see every person as an occasion for ministry and miracles. It is this vision that helps us do great things in the name of The Lord for all those He is pleased to bring into our lives. “Go and do likewise.”