Scripture Reflection, July 13, 2025, 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deuteronomy 30:10-14 Colossians 1:15-20 Luke 10:25-37

Today's gospel gives us the parable of the Good Samaritan. This is such a well-known New Testament story that even folks not very familiar with the scriptures generally know its broad outlines. In fact, it is so familiar that I'm not even going to focus on what happens between the Samaritan and the poor victim. Instead, I'd like to look at the conversation Jesus has with “the scholar of the law” before the parable even begins.

Interestingly, we are told that the scholar asked his question in order to test Jesus. “What must I do to gain eternal life?” When Jesus asks him how he reads the law, the scholar gives a great answer. His answer, to love God and love your neighbor as yourself, is a response that Jesus affirms.

But then we read that the scholar asks another question, this time "because he wished to justify himself. “ He asks Jesus, "and who is my neighbor?“ He knows he is required to love his neighbor as himself but wants to know, specifically, who is included as “neighbor”. It sounds to me like he's looking for a “carve out”, an exception to the love rule. It sounds like he wants to know if there is anyone he is not required to love. Like the kid who is told to eat all his vegetables and responds “all?” (unspoken… Can I leave the peas?)

And now the parable itself. Jesus decided to feature a Samaritan as the hero of the story, as one who embodies love of neighbor. He couldn't have made a more glaring choice. There was such animosity between Jews and Samaritans that they refused to speak to each other in public. I wonder if the scholar of the law was thinking, “Please, please don't tell me I have to love Samaritans as myself! “

Such animosity between groups of people !

And now the parable falls out of the gospel of Luke and into our life and times. As it is supposed to do.

People disagree. They disagree about what the problems are and they disagree about the solutions. Disagreement is not a sin against charity. But demonizing the other …is!

Liberal? Conservative? Undocumented? Native-born? Whether demonizing others is done on a stage with a microphone or on social media, it is against the law this scholar knew well. There is no exception. There is no “carve out”. There is no person or group of people we are allowed to hate.

The Samaritan treated the Jew with mercy, with kindness, with love.

Jesus’ words to us, like to the scholar, are, "Go and do likewise. “

by: Pat Schnee