THE PROOF IS IN THE SOURCE OF THE ORCHESTRATION
“A scholar said to Jesus,
‘And who is my neighbor?’
Jesus replied,
‘A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?’
He answered, ‘The one who treated him with mercy.’
Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” Luke 10:25-37
The point of Jesus’s story may be that, in a nutshell, the proof that one loves God is instinctively being “moved with compassion” and making any sacrifice one needs to make so that another’s life may go on and get better.
The reading says:
It’s not enough that we profess that our hearts and souls belong to God; we also must let what is deep within us orchestrate our actions and our decisions.
So the question is: How far am I from letting my inner “image and likeness of God“ orchestrate my life, and what obstacles are preventing my being moved with compassion for any person in need?
THEN: For the priest and Levite in the story, that half-dead Jerusalem man lying in the road probably had some prior contact with them in the temple and around Jerusalem. The sight of blood may have overtaken their sensibilities. (For the priest and the Levite, the less vital orchestrating things were the ritualistic laws.)
NOW: What are the less vital, orchestrating things that are leading us to our everyday choices and decisions? Let’s think about this as we go over our past week and plan for the coming week. (What are the less vital, orchestrating things vying for my attention? Let’s think about what, through this Gospel, Jesus is asking us to consider.)
What are the top three things orchestrating my actions and decisions? Are they my job? . . . my family? . . . my friends? . . . my house and yard? . . . my car? . . . my vacation? . . . my favorite team? . . . my hobbies? . . . my God? . . . my ___?
What do I think are my top three life goals?
What do I think God would like my top three life goals to be?
How do these compare?
Where am I on my life journey? How can I progress?
Do I truly believe that each of us is equal in the eyes of God?
Did I see each person I met yesterday or earlier in the week as my neighbor in need of attentive care from me? If I had those encounters to live over again, how would I have approached them?
Did I learn anything from asking myself these questions?
Sister Loretta
Psalm 51
O God, have mercy on me
Your inmost being must be renewed, and you must put on the new man. (Ephesians 4:23-24)
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offense.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
My offenses truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge,
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may revive.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervor sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
O rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit,
a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness, show favor to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
— as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Psalm-prayer
Father, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations.
Ant. A humble, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.