FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YR C
Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Psalm 69;
Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37
JESUS OUR GOOD SAMARITAN
The story of the Good Samaritan can be understood in the context of the fall of man and his salvation. In this fall of man, no one can help him except God. The Church Fathers generally interpreted this parable allegorically as a representation of Jesus’ relationship with humanity.
We hear that a man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Jerusalem in Scripture is the city of God, a city of peace and grace (Psalm 48:1-2; Isaiah 65:18-19). Jericho, on the other hand, is the city of sin, curse and dysfunction (Joshua 6:26). The traveller’s journey from Jerusalem to Jericho represents our fall from how we should be (the state of grace) to where we are now, in a state of sin, uncertainty and unrest.
On the way, he is beaten by robbers who rob him of everything and leave him there helpless, almost dead. It is like the situation of a person who becomes so ill that they cannot help themselves and must be cared for, or as in the case of addiction, when one cannot help oneself. In fact, Scripture describes sin in the sense of addiction.
In this situation, a priest and a Levite passed by, but they did not or could not help the man. These two represent the religious institution of the time, which did not have the power to heal, assist or save the man. In today’s world, do we not feel that we need to build a religion or a church that suits our tastes? Or to make the church more human or our own? The Bible says we cannot do that. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Only Jesus can save us and the church even though made of humans is a divine institution.
In the story, the Good Samaritan came after the priest and the Levite. He got down, poured oil and wine on the man’s wound and took him to the inn to treat him. BUT WHO IS THE GOOD SAMARITAN? WHO IS THE TRUE “GOOD” SAMARITAN?
It is Jesus. He is the outcast in the way Samaritans are despised. He is the one who is always despised by the world. He is the one Paul speaks of when he says that Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God but accepted death on the cross for our sake. The cross is his descent towards us. From the cross, he pours the oil and wine of the sacraments into our souls. From the cross, he pours the wine of his blood into our sick souls.
Jesus is our Saviour, the bringer of healing. He brings Salus or Salve – health to all. Jesus, our good Samaritan, brings our health and our healing.
The Good Samaritan takes the man to the inn where he pays to have him cared for. The inn is the Church. It is the place where Christ welcomes us and heals us in the liturgy and the sacraments. In the Church we find courage and refreshment in the Word of God and nourishment in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist.
Jesus is not only our saviour, but also our redeemer. Redeemer in Latin, means to buy back or pay. The cross is the price Jesus paid for our redemption. We could not do it ourselves, but Jesus paid everything for us. He paid the debt we owed. He is truly our ransom.
We have all passed from Jerusalem to Jericho. Some of us have passed from patience to anger and impatience; from a place of hope to a state of hopelessness. From now on, when you find yourselves in your moments of Jericho, remember Jesus. He is our Good Samaritan. We pray that he will save us from the misfortune of travelling the road of this world without him. May he save us from the thought of going to Jericho.
Jesus, our Good Samaritan, came to rescue us from all of this, and we gather here, in his “inn” the church, to give him thank. The Church is Christ’s inn.
In this celebration of thanksgiving, may Jesus heal and redeem us once again. May he bring us peace, healing, joy and forgiveness. May he heal us from the wounds of sin, brokenness, disappointment and pain.
Praised be Jesus Christ.
God bless you.
By Rev. Fr Delight Carbonu
