Every choice we make carries consequences, and deep down every human heart there are longs for something more than that this life alone can offer. We long for a life that does not end, a life that is whole and free, a life with God.
This longing is as old as humanity itself. In the beginning, God created Adam and Even for eternal communion with Him. But their disobedience wounded human nature. Selfishness took root, separating them and us from the very Source of life. Since then, we carry within us both a hunger for eternity and a tendency to turn in on ourselves.
To guide our hearts, bodies, souls, and spirit back toward Him, God gave us the gift of the Ten Commandments. It is within this deep human story that we understand the question the scholar asks Jesus in the Gospel: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Returning to the Scriptures
Jesus responds: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
He directs the scholars back to the Scriptures, reminding him and us that the answer to our faith-questions is not hidden far away but already given. Jesus highlights something deeper: it is not only about reading the text, but about letting the Word shape how we see, live and love.
Loving God and Neighbor
The scholar answers: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” At the heart of eternal life is love: love for God and love for others. It is a love that is rooted in commitment and self-giving. Jesus says: “Do this, and you will live.” He reminds us that faith is not only about knowing, but also about living. Loving God and neighbor is not a one-time act but a way of life, a daily choice that gradually transforms us and open us to the life God wants to give.
The Temptation of Limiting Love
The scholar then asks: “And who is my neighbor?” Luke tells us that he wanted to justify himself. This is a temptation we all face: to limit love, to draw boundaries around who deserves our help and attention, to protect ourselves from inconvenience or discomfort. We want categories: friend or enemy, insider, or outsider. But Jesus shows us that the real question is “How do I become a neighbor?” to others.
The Parable: A Man on the Road
Jesus tells the story of a man who was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho, a dangerous road. He is attacked, beaten, stripped, and left half-dead. A priest and a Levite, men respected for their religious roles, see him and pass by on the other side. Perhaps they fear ritual impurity, their safety, or perhaps they are too busy. Their faith does not translate into mercy and love.
The Compassion of the Samaritan
Then comes the surprise: “But a Samaritan…” For Jesus’ listeners, the Samaritan was an outsider, considered unclean and heretical. Surprisingly, he is the one who comes near to the wounded stranger. He was “moved with compassion.” The Greek word splagchnizomai describes a deep, gut-level compassion, the same word used to describe Jesus’ own compassion for the suffering. He goes beyond emotion, cleans and binds the wounds, pours oil and wine to bring healing, places him on his own animal, takes him to an inn and cares for him personally. He pays for his care, promising to return and continue helping. His mercy crosses boundaries and does not calculate the cost.
Becoming a Neighbor
At the end Jesus invites the scholar of the law to go and do like the Samaritan. The question Jesus asks in this Gospel is turned back to us: Will we become neighbors to those God places along our paths, even when it is inconvenient or costly?
Faith without compassion is incomplete. We find eternal life in loving God and in loving others as Jesus taught us. Being a neighbor is not about proximity; it is about mercy that crosses boundaries. The Samaritan points us to Christ Jesus who comes near us to heal our wounds, bind us and pay the costly price to restore us to life.
May Jesus, Good Samaritan of our souls, teach us to draw near to those who are wounded, lonely and in need. Amen.
[Readings: Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37]
