Day 3 - March 10

 

2021 Virtual Lenten Retreat

WHO’S YOUR NEIGHBOR

Day 3 – March 10

 Today’s Reading

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead….  But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds…. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. (cf. Luke 10:25-37)

 The Pope’s Reflection

   Let us look to the example of the Good Samaritan. Jesus’ parable summons us to rediscover our vocation as citizens of our respective nations and of the entire world, builders of a new social bond. This summons is ever new, yet it is grounded in a fundamental law of our being: we are called to direct society to the pursuit of the common good and, with this purpose in mind, to persevere in consolidating its political and social order, its fabric of relations, its human goals. By his actions, the Good Samaritan showed that “the existence of each and every individual is deeply tied to that of others: life is not simply time that passes; life is a time for interactions”.

   The parable eloquently presents the basic decision we need to make in order to rebuild our wounded world. In the face of so much pain and suffering, our only course is to imitate the Good Samaritan. Any other decision would make us either one of the robbers or one of those who walked by without showing compassion for the sufferings of the man on the roadside. The parable shows us how a community can be rebuilt by men and women who identify with the vulnerability of others, who reject the creation of a society of exclusion, and act instead as neighbors, lifting up and rehabilitating the fallen for the sake of the common good. At the same time, it warns us about the attitude of those who think only of themselves and fail to shoulder the inevitable responsibilities of life as it is.

   The parable clearly does not indulge in abstract moralizing, nor is its message merely social and ethical. It speaks to us of an essential and often forgotten aspect of our common humanity: we were created for a fulfillment that can only be found in love. We cannot be indifferent to suffering; we cannot allow anyone to go through life as an outcast. Instead, we should feel indignant, challenged to emerge from our comfortable isolation and to be changed by our contact with human suffering. That is the meaning of dignity. (cf. #66, 67, 68)

 For Reflection or Discussion

The pope’s main point here is that we cannot separate ourselves from our brothers and sisters in need.

-- Do you ever say to yourself “Everything would be OK if everyone just took care of themselves?”

-- Why do we resist the possibility that others are dependent on us, for one reason or another – or that, contrary to common assumptions, that we are dependent in some way on them?

-- What would Jesus say about the “cult of the individual” that dominates our society?

> What can you do about this?

 Closing Prayer

Let us stand before the cross of Jesus: the silent throne of God. Let us daily contemplate his wounds. In them, we recognize our emptiness, our shortcomings, the wounds of our sin and all the hurt we have experienced. Yet there too, we see clearly that God points his finger at no one, but rather opens his arms to embrace us.

In life’s most painful wounds, God awaits us with his infinite mercy. Because there, where we are most vulnerable, where we feel the most shame, he came to meet us. And having come to meet us, he now invites us to return to him, to rediscover the joy of being loved.