Weekend Reflections for 7/8/16

Who is my neighbor? 

In Sunday's Gospel from Luke Jesus tells the famous story of the Good Samaritan.

A scholar of the law knew that his salvation depended on loving his God and his neighbor but he went further and asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus' answer would have been shocking, mind- and heart-blowing! The priest and the Levite, both Jewish religious officials, should have been the ones to stop and help but they pass by. They knew that if they got blood on their hands or clothes, they would be impure and not allowed to enter the Temple. Their public status as those worthy to enter the Temple was at stake, too high a price to be charitable.

The contemporaries of Jesus hated and despised the Samaritans for religious and ethnic reasons and Jesus makes him the hero of the story. That's what is so shocking and so challenging.

When Jesus is told that his mother and family are outside looking for him, he asks "Who is my family? They are those who hear the word of God and keep it." In both cases he is challenging the understanding of who we are related to and how, who is important to us. For Jesus it's not a matter of blood or shared religion that makes us family and neighbors; it's the faith in the God of love who claims all of us as His beloved sons and daughters and that makes all of us brothers and sisters, no matter what our religious and ethnic identity. They will know we are Jesus' followers and companions by our love of others, a love that shows itself in deeds.

 -Fr. Ralph Huse, S.J.

PLEASE PRAY FOR THOSE ON RETREAT THIS WEEK AS WELL AS OUR DECEASED RETREATANTS.

PLEASE PRAY FOR PEACE IN OUR COMMUNITY 

UPCOMING RETREATS WITH SPACE:

Women: 8/4, 9/12, 10/3, 11/14

Men: 7/14, 7/28

Co-Ed: 9/2

Co-Ed Recovery: 8/11

First Responders: 11/1