But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
We're always on the lookout for another gospel than the one that we preached to us. We're looking for an easier one that is less demanding. We're happy to have something call us to love a little. But when we are called to love with all our heart, mind, and strength we begin to look for wiggle room. We feel that we have to. We sense that such love is impossible for us. But it is important not to water it down.
Am I now currying favor with human beings or God?
We want to tell people the easy thing. We ourselves wish it were true. We want to say, 'Don't worry, you're only human.' But the Gospel is clear: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." This exacting standard is evidence that the Gospel is not of human origins. It is designed to shape us rather than something that we shape ourselves.
Only the true Gospel can perfect us in love. It does this by calling us to love when we would not otherwise choose to do so. It calls us to help and to care when we would otherwise excuse ourselves of the responsibility.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
The true Gospel does this from within us. We do not love because we fear being condemned if we don't (though that is better than nothing). We love because the Spirit within us impels us to love. When see the half-dead man on the side of the road and are tempted to move to the opposite side the Spirit within us asks us to choose to love. It does not come across as fear. He does not ask us to consider what will happen to us if we don't help. The invitation is positive. True, there may be some fear of the consequences of choosing to love (rather than the consequences of choosing not to do so). We may feel unprepared or unequipped. But if we listen to and focus on the invitation of the Spirit this fear is cast out. When we choose to live beyond ourselves we find ourselves in God's hands.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
Jesus himself first loves us in this way. He does not choose what is easy for him. He carries the sins of the world on his own back just as the Samaritan carries the half-dead man on his own animal. He pours out the wine of his precious blood to heal us. He brings us to the inn of the Church and cares for us with the silver coins of his own merit. He shows us what is possible if we trust the impulse of the Spirit to love. We see that he can lead us beyond fear. And we see that our trust in him is always vindicated.
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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