Learn to See Life

15^th Sunday in the Ordinary Time

July 14, 2013

Luke 10:25-37

The story of the Good Samaritan is a story of radical love and primacy of life. Looking deeper into the characters (the Jewish victim, the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan), we are going to see the intricate fabrics of Jewish culture in Jesus’ time. Let us focus now on the two main characters of the story: the priest and the Levite.

Why did the priest and the Levite deny their fellow Jew a help he deserve? The priest and the levite avoided their half-dead fellow Jew not simply because of sheer disgust nor lack of medical expertise, but it was primarily legal. Moses’ laws forbid Jews especially the priests and the Levites to touch the dead or blood (Lev 15 and 21). The priest and the Levite were basically would uphold the Laws to its strictest sense. The book of Maccabees tells us how a mother and her seven sons would rather die than to violate the Laws by eating unclean food (2 Mac 7). They were meticulously religious, yet Jesus criticized them for failing to recognize the much greater reality than the Law. They refused to see life.

However, I suspect that there is a subtler reason behind their refusal to see life. A priest and a Levite primarily live and serve around the temple. Every time, a priest or a Levite becomes unclean, they were not allowed to enter the temple area. This is a mortal blow. They practically lose their revered identity. Not only missing their honor, failure to perform their sacred duties means losing job. Naturally, nobody wants to become poor instantly. Here, self-worth and economic issue could hinder the priest and the Levite to see and save life.

Every time, we witness pride and business outweigh the value of life, we encounter the modern day priest and Levite are present among and even in us. Hundred babies are aborted every day, and it is justified merely for the economic interest and personal reputation. In some rural areas, little children have to walk miles just to attend school in a deteriorating classroom and with limited teachers. Where is the right of descent education they deserve?

Through the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus invites us to look at our lives and how we relate with God and our fellowmen and women. Do we treat our friends as a source of income and plain business partners to satisfy our needs? Do we go to the Church and be active there merely to attain recognition? Do we pray to God simply because we want our wish fulfilled and thus, relegate God to be an ATM? Let us we choose to be the good Samaritan, to see  and defend life.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP