Some of Jesus’ parables are well-known, nearly too well-known, yet not known well enough…
We may be tempted to think that his message is equally familiar but…
Intellectual knowledge is one thing, daily living is another – we are aware of this!

This Sunday’s parable of The Good Samaritan (Lk.10:25-37) is one of those in danger of a… simple and hasty adaptation!
The levite and the priest are no longer among us, but we may easily picture that among the members of…
this Catholic grouping, that pious association, those participants in a prayerful gathering…
well, surely there are some who would personify the attitude of… non-involvement of those two people of old.

Simple and hasty adaptation and… condemnation.
Yet, in mentally attributing blame to others, we may be missing the point altogether…
What if there were hidden within us – each one of us –
a modern-day levite and a contemporary of the priest in the time of Jesus?

Perhaps, we must admit that there are moments when soft voices within us suggest:

• This is none of your business.
• You have a more urgent commitment just now.
• Someone is waiting for you, you can’t upset him.
• Let someone else, more qualified, take care of this situation.
• Surely you have more important things to see to.
  
• After all, he’s not, she’s not, of us, really…

The words have a familiar and contemporary accent, and yet, they echo faithfully the Aramaic unspoken thoughts of the two people of Jesus’ parable.
Yes, they are sometimes part of a statement we may not dare to utter but which inspire our attitude to the one in need.

Strange how the 21^st century may resemble so much… the 1^st!

Note: Another reflection is available on a similar theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/15e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

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