Listen

But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death. Now it just so happened that a priest was also going down the same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. Likewise, a Levite came by that spot, saw the injured man, and crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.’ What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?”

Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Luke 10:29-37

Think

Have I mentioned that I like sports? I have found that many times it is easier to criticize and point fingers at players or decisions made by the officials from the stands or watching the game on TV, than to be involved in the actual action. It’s not the same from the outside as it is from the inside.

In the same way, I have realized that it is very easy to preach and say things I read in the Bible. But it is much harder to live them and apply them. When loving our neighbor, we usually want our neighbor to like us or be like us. Our faith cannot be lived superficially. We must look for ways to live what we read to make our world a better place. Today, I ask myself, what kind of neighbor am I? Am I being merciful? How am I showing mercy? I want these questions to guide my actions.

Jesús Garcia

Question to Ponder:

How are you showing that you are merciful?

Pray

God, help me to show mercy to those who suffer. Teach me to understand that the center is not me, that I must love all people as you love them. Keep my eyes and ears open to do your will.

Amen.

Go

Dive into God’s presence.

Dive into God’s word.

Dive into God’s mission.