15th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C
Deuteronomy 30:10-14c-15
Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
or Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Colossians 1:15-20
Luke 10:25-37
Today’s passage of the gospel is one of the best-known stories. As a matter of fact, the story coined a term that has entered into our common language. Who has not heard the expression “good Samaritan”?” Even entire ministries carry that title.
In the gospel passage, the conversation began with a question by a scholar asking: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” The scholar was testing Jesus, says the gospel. So, Jesus responded by testing the scholar’s knowledge of the law, asking a question based on the scholar’s expertise. Paying attention to this part of the story opens an entirely new perspective based on Old Testament tradition.
The first part of the scholar’s answer, referring to the love of God, comes from Deuteronomy 6:5, which is part of the Shema‘ Israel, the basic and foundational prayer in Jewish tradition. The second part, referring to the love of neighbor, comes from Leviticus 19:18, the key chapter in the entire book. Jesus’ confirmation comes from Leviticus 18:4, which belongs to the opening paragraph of the Holiness Code, the second part of the book of Leviticus.
Knowing this background, we can understand why the liturgy offers as the first reading (which is always chosen in connection with the Gospel reading) a passage taken from Deuteronomy 30, the concluding speech of Moses in the entire Torah, which ends by saying, “Choose life” (Deut 30:19; next, Deut 31:1 wraps up all of Moses’ speeches by repeating the opening words of the book of Deuteronomy).
Moving to Christian tradition, we find that today’s first reading is referred to by another “scholar of the law,” namely by St. Paul, who uses it in Romans 10:5-10. But he introduces the reference by saying in Romans 10:4 that “Christ is the end (Greek telos) of the Law.”
As we read in the gospel, Christ expands the understanding of the scholar, providing him with a new perspective on the second part of the paragraph. In fact, Jesus includes a few elements in the story that are intended to shock the audience.
First of all, we read of a priest and of a Levite passing by without attempting to help their fellow Jew who was so badly wounded. In reality, this may shock us more than Jesus’ audience because, as commentators point out, getting in touch with a dead body would have made them impure, therefore unable to enter the sacred space to render worship to Yahweh. Hence, out of cultic concern, they bypassed the problem.
The real shock for Jesus’ audience certainly came from the fact that the helper of the wounded Jew was a Samaritan, people who were considered irreconcilable enemies of the Jews. But here lies the most important teaching of Jesus regarding the scholar’s second question.
The evangelist says, “because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” But at the end of the story, Jesus asks, “Which of these three, in your opinion, became neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” In other words, Jesus reversed the beliefs of the scholar, making him realize the perspective he needs to use in this matter.
I think one of the best figures who has practiced today’s teaching is St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. There is a poem that is attributed to her, but even though she may not have written it, she made it happen in her life. The poem, titled “Do it Anyway,” goes “People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. / If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. / If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. / If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. / What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. / If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. / The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. / Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. / In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
In Spanish tradition, there is a saying that summarizes today’s gospel: “Haz el bien / sin mirar a quien” (Do good / without looking at who it is).