The Twelve: The Samaritan

One day, Jesus was in the town square, teaching and a group of religious leaders and activists had shown up to harass and question him. One of them in the crowd stood up and asked, "What is the most important command that someone should obey to be a follower of God?" Several people in the crowd murmured, because this was a blatantly simple question.

Jesus responded, "How do you read the law?"

The man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Jesus then said, "Correct, do this and you will walk with God."

Trying to justify his seemingly simplistic question, the man then followed up with, "But who is my neighbor? Do I only have to love the people living next to me? Or everyone on the block? What about people from the next city over, or a different state?"

Jesus looked at the man for a long moment. The man was wearing a basic suit, but well pressed. He had a dark red silk tie on, with a small golden tie pin, in which was set black stone and a sliver of what appeared to be a diamond. His Bible was well worn from carrying, but still carried its rich leather binding and the gold edging to the pages. After the pause, Jesus said "Once there was a white businessman who was driving overnight from Columbus to Chicago. While travelling, his car broke down at the side of the highway in the middle of the night in Indiana, surrounded by cornfields. He attempted to flag down a passing driver for help, but the driver who stopped beat him unconscious and robbed him of his belongings, leaving him bleeding in a ditch to die.

The first person to then pass was a preacher who was travelling for a revival festival scheduled the next day. Seeing only the abandoned car with the hazard lights flashing, the preacher thought to himself,"I can't stop to help, I might be late for my meetings in the morning. But I'll remember to pray for them when I get there."

The next person to pass was a state senator, on his way to speak at a fundraiser. Seeing the abandoned car, the senator thought to himself, "What a shame. People should be responsible for getting their own cars towed by a service, rather than relying on the government to take care of it for them. It's another example of failing society I'll remember to mention to my supporters tomorrow."

Finally, a battered Uhaul truck stopped. In the back was a large group of illegal immigrants, travelling as migrant farm workers. The brought the man into their truck, treated him with first aid and gave him warm clothing. They took him to the nearest hospital for treatment, and took a collection of what little money they had to pay for the man's treatments and ensure he would be fed and housed until he could be back on his feet."

Jesus paused for another moment, then looking at the man, asked, "Who was his neighbor?"

The man questioning Jesus screwed up his face in an apparent state of disgust and said, "The... ones who took care of him." It was apparent by the look on the man's face that instead of "the ones" he'd almost intended to use another word. 

Jesus looked over the whole crowd and said, "Go and do likewise."

Later, as we were walking through the mall, a man called out to Jesus, "teacher, help me!"

Jesus, and all of us walking with him, turned to look at the man, who was laying propped up against the wall with a sign saying "please give money for food." The man had open sores all over his skin, and his legs were bent under him at an awkward and painful angle. Later, Simon told me that the sores must have been from drug use, the man had obviously been using something that damaged his immune system. Even without that, at the time, I could see the self evident track marks on the man's arms. 

Jesus walked over to the man and said, "What would you have me do?"

The man replied, "heal me, please."

Jesus, looking at the man said, "get up, put aside your sign, and walk." Shakily, the man slowly stood, setting his sign to the side. He looked down in apparent shock at his legs and I realized that he hadn't been able to walk in some time. As he stood there, trembling, I saw the sores on his skin slowing going away, his skin taking on a healthier glow, and the man was shaking with deep, broken sobs, tears coming down the sides of his face. Jesus embraced him and said, "Son, your sins are forgiven. Come and walk with me"

Blessed are We

A prayer for today, based on Matthew 5:3-12

Lord Jesus, we thank you for your presence today.

Father God, we come to you in a desire to know you more deeply

Holy Spirit pray with us now.

Let us be poor in spirit,

    So that we may live in the kingdom of heaven.

Be with us as we mourn,

    For by you will we be comforted.

Teach us to be meek,

    As we inherit the earth.

Give us a hunger and thirst for righteousness,

    for by you will we be filled.

Show us how to be merciful,

    for then will we be shown mercy.

Make us pure in heart,

    So that we will better see You

Give us the heart of peacemakers,

    For we are children of God.

 Walk with us as we are persecuted because of righteousness,

    For we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

Give us your heart when people insult us, persecute us and falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of  You.  Teach us to rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward for us in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the You before us here on earth.

In all ways, give us Your heart and Your guidance. Teach us first to love and serve our neighbor as ourselves, and to love you with all of our heart, soul and mind.

Amen