My Neighbors

 

Have I ever told you about my neighbors? Sal lives across the street. I have known him since he was 16. I knew his grandparents and met his grandchildren. He’s in his 70’s. Joe lives west of me. He drives a big truck and brings me topsoil or rock. The Telesz’s have lived behind me for 75 years. They have a hundred acres. I have other neighbors I have not met yet.

I mention my neighbors because in our Gospel today (Luke 10:25-37), we hear about neighbors. The lawyer who asked Jesus about eternal life knew the commandment: “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.” He then asked, “Who is my neighbor?”

Do you know your neighbors? Do you love your neighbors? The man going down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho needed someone to love him and really help him because he was badly beaten after he was robbed.

Two men saw how much help the man needed and walked by, but the third man stopped and helped the man. The third man knew that if he was robbed and beaten, he would need help. He knew in his heart that God showed him mercy. That’s the reason he stopped and helped the beaten man.

The lawyer who asked Jesus about eternal life did not know his neighbor, which is why Jesus told this story. After he told the story, Jesus then said, “You go, and do likewise.” God is good to you. God loves you. God shows you mercy. That is the reason you should show love and mercy to your neighbors.

With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.