Posts
So many times all of us have heard about the Good Samaritan story and know that there is a law also named the Good Samaritan Law (protecting any individual who stops at an accident on the roadway from any litigation. Now, I will provide a new slant on the story, something which I have just heard which has endeared the Good Samaritan ever more to me.
As the bible story tells us, a man was beaten and robbed, and left on the side of the road to die. Passing by were two individuals who did not stop to help the man. Then, a Samaritan came by, and seeing the man in the ditch beaten robbed (probably near death), he stopped to help the man. He wrapped up the man's wounds after using oil and wine. Then, he carried the man to a nearby inn. The Samaritan gave money to the inn keeper with instructions to care for the man, and if it cost more to tend to the beaten man, the Samaritan would provide reimbursement to the inn keeper. Of course the Bible story clearly has a question posed by Jesus, 'who provided compassion for the man' . . . and now a twist in the end of the story . . .
Each of us have been robbed and beaten by Satan throughout our lives. We are near death, without hope. Coming our way is the Good Samaritan. It is Jesus. He is moved with compassion to clean our wounds (by the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick). He places oil (the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Confirmation) and wine (the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist) into our wounds. Jesus then wraps each of them (forgiveness) and He restores us from death (from Jesus carrying and dying on the cross). He has redeemed each of us with His love for us that we many not be separated from God in the end of our lives.
Yet, the story is not finished because Jesus adds one thing more. He instructs his follows to go out, and do the same for others (through the Sacrament of Baptism, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the Sacrament of Matrimony, and the Sacrament of the Sick). God loves us that much that He became the Good Samaritan to us, moved with compassion for us as we lay beaten, robbed, and near death. Through the Holy Spirit, we are able to move forward . . . to be a Samaritan to another.
