"But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight." (Lk. 10:33)
This is the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Jesus responds to the question "Who is my neighbor?" by giving us the Parable of the Good Samaritan. If we love those who love us and can pay us back, what merit is in that? As baptized members of Christ's body, we are to share his same sentiments. Jesus feels compassion toward the wayward plight that sin has left us in. There is spiritual and material misery around us that we clearly see and others try to keep hidden.
If we could see what everyone is battling in their lives, we would be more compassionate. Often an aggression or an unjust treatment we receive is a sign that someone is hurting. Jesus forgives all because they did not know what they did. We have to learn to come to the table and listen to others who may radically think differently than ourselves. Unless we learn to do this with a spirit of compassion, we cannot be the peacemakers Jesus is calling us to be. Let us learn to tread lightly around others and treat everyone with kindness. By listening, we learn very often that our cross is not the heaviest.
Questions for Reflection:
- Am I able to recognize Christ's presence in each of my brothers and sisters without distinction?
- In a divided world, am I careful of every negative word or comment?
- When unjustly treated, do I still practice compassion?
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