Reading
Luke 10:25-37
Reflection
The story of the Good Samaritan is one of the most well-known and loved Bible stories. Many children learn it in Sunday school as a wonderful example of how to be kind and caring to others. And indeed, in the story we see the priest and temple helper fail to show compassion to the badly beaten man. But we see the Samaritan go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the beaten man has every chance of recovery.
What we may not have realized, however, is that the priest and temple helper were actually prohibited by the law of Moses to go and touch the beaten man. Because he had been left for dead, if these servants of God had touched him, they would have been made unclean and incapable of fulfilling their roles in the worship at the temple.
But Jesus’ listeners knew this. And Jesus seemed to be shaming two of their own leaders to elevate the status of a man whose people were profoundly despised by the Jews. Samaritans. There was a long standing feud between Samaritans and Jews. They had blasphemed each other’s worship practices for generations.
And Jesus says that this Samaritan man was actually the one who fulfilled the law of Moses – not the priest and temple helper who were so careful to not become unclean.
The implications are radical to Jesus’ listeners. Jesus is saying that to really live the spirit of the law, they must learn a compassion and care and love for those they despise the most!
Jesus is introducing his radical ethic of love for enemies. He is breaking dividing walls of hostility. He is teaching a new unity where all the peoples of the earth will be embraced as God’s children.
Response
All loving God
Your heart is for the whole world to be restored through your love. Our imaginations and hearts are too small. Enlarge us with your love. Give us your passion for those who seem so very different from us.
Through Jesus, who loves diversity and includes all, Amen.
Amen. I think it there is a lot to learn from this parable as it relates to the “issue” of homosexuality and how the Church is called to engage it. Just reading your blog made the parable come alive in a fresh way for me. I am a gay Christian and am facing head-on all the joys and challenges that accompany that journey. I’m 40 and have suppressed my sexual orientation for many years, even to the point of entering a marriage I was in no way ready to follow through with. That ended and my path to owning my sexual orientation began when my relationship with God started to disintegrate. I could no longer follow the God I had come to believe in because I was an “abomination“ to him. However, in embracing my sexuality and becoming “rigorously honest“ with myself through the help of the 12 steps I found a spirituality that worked and began to wonder if there might just be a way to find harmony between my sexuality and spirituality. I identify with the beaten man who the religious, though well intentioned I`m sure, were unable to truly help – if they dared to “touch“ me. I don`t pretend to have many answers. I have become comfortable with unanswered questions for the time being. I pray for God`s guidance as I move forward, and I am so thankful for the many Samaritans that are rising up to help bring clarity – by making conversation possible – from the confusion that this issue can foster. As the parable implies, these are the ones who are fulfilling the spirit of the law. My prayers continue to be for those who are gay and are trying to honor God as they attempt to understand, accept and fulfill their God-given identity, as well as for those who want to help bring understanding and healing. Thank God for the Good Samaritan!
I’m glad this resonated with you Troy! And thank you for sharing some of your journey. It is one that is unique for each person – and yet one I’ve become very familiar with. I hope that you have been able to connect with other LGBT Christians and that you are not travelling alone. Enjoy the blog and feel free to contact me through the website if you’d like to connect with others.