Day 14 – March 17, 2022

The Parable of the Good Irishman Part 2

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:29-37

Jesus’s story has an unlikely hero, the Samaritan. Samaritans were descendants of the tribes of Israel that had split from Judah to become the nation of Israel under the leadership of kings like Ahab and Queens like Jezebel who led the people into the idolatrous worship of the Baals. They were of mixed blood, they read an inferior version of Hebrew Scriptures, and they didn’t recognize the need to worship at the temple in Jerusalem. As a result, they were marginalized and hated by good Jews.

How does Jesus’s story answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” How do you think the law expert felt about having to acknowledge that the Samaritan was his neighbor too? Is there anyone who ISN’T your neighbor? If Jesus were telling the story today, who do you think he would make the hero?

Each day (except Sundays) during Lent, we will post a Scripture for reflection on our theme, “Military Withdrawal.” Together, we will learn to walk in God’s ways of peacemaking and reconciliation. These posts are meant to stimulate conversation and interaction. Please post your thoughts and comments.