A Reflection on the Good Samaritan

Today's Daily Ignatian Reflection from the Magis Institute (Sunday, 11 July 2010; 15th Week in Ordinary Time), by Father Rob Kroll, S.J.:

"Today's Gospel presents us with the beloved story of the Good Samaritan, an important parable for us who are well- off in many ways; materially comfortable, physically healthy, emotionally fulfilled, and psychologically balanced etc... Our neighbor, says Jesus is every human being whose suffering we encounter on a regular basis.  We come across many types of suffering people as we travel the roads of life: the homeless man with the cardboard sign on the roadside, the lonely relative isolated in the hospital or nursing home, the friend struggling with depression or divorce, the unemployed son or daughter struggling to barely get food on the table, the colleague whose ignorance of the faith or lack of a personal friendship with Christ leaves her vulnerable to sin and a victim of the prevailing cultural values.  Are we neighbor to these people?

"The priest and Levite do not mistreat the robbers' half-dead victim, stealing whatever the robbers overlooked or verbally abusing the man. They simply pass by on the opposite side, much like the rich man Dives ignored the beggar Lazarus at his gate each day. But are not sins of omission as frequent and serious as the active sins we commit, if not more so?

"As he encounters the suffering of a Jewish man, the Samaritan could have rationalized a course of inaction: 'I'm too busy to stop' or 'Those Jews disdain us Samaritans - he's my enemy.' But instead, moved with compassion, he approaches the victim and then cares for him. When faced with the suffering of others, do we experience compassion in our hearts and then do something to help relieve their pain? Often the gesture needed is very small: a kind word, a listening ear, a smile, a brief explanation of a Catholic doctrine or practice."

(Father Kroll is associate director, Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House, near Lake Elmo, Minnesota)

How do I respond when someone is in need, and I am in a position to help?

I'm remembering a couple of incidents this past week - minor incidents, but incidents in which I did not respond.

The first was a burglar alarm that started going off in the middle of the morning while I was doing something in the kitchen. It was coming from the direction of the rear of the house, and sounded close. I'm usually very good about promptly calling these in; most of the time they are accidental, but a couple of times there was a break involved. This time, though, I ignored it.

A little later that day, I was going to the bank to make a withdrawal, and, on this walk, I reflected on how unlike me it was to ignore somthing like that. As I was starting to head back, I noticed a lady bent over picking something up in the bank parking lot. I ignored that until I saw a gentleman bendiing down to help her. I looked again and saw that she had apparently dropped a roll of quarters, and the two of them were picking them up. I continued walking, and then I thought - how unlike me.

This was twice within an hour or so, and I really don't have a good explanation for why I didn't act. I only know I was very disappointed with myself.

May the Lord guide me in appropriately responding in situations that come before me.