After a few introductory questions we arrive at the parable for today of the Good Samaritan. The questions show us clearly that the most important thing of all is love; first of all the love of God, then ourselves, and then our neighbour as ourselves. Then comes the question that brings about the parable for today: Who is my neighbour?
Our neighbour is obviously everyone but, especially those who are in need. And we are admonished to offer him our assistance even though there is no hope of payment or reward. We are admonished to offer him our assistance even if it is inconvenient for us or ends up costing us time and/or money. For this is what it means to truly love.
But, now let us look a little further into this parable and perhaps see in this the true goodness of God.
Spiritually all of mankind is just like the man who fell among the robbers. We come into this world already robbed (deprived of Sanctifying Grace). We are further beaten and left for dead by all of our own actual sins. We are truly a helpless mess with no resources at our disposal. Without the generous benefactions of someone else we are surely to die an eternal death. But, there were none on earth that were able to assist us, as all of mankind found himself in the same situation.
The man who fell among the robbers was very disgusting to behold; the priest and the Levite were probably very repulsed by the bloody, bruised, and broken body of this man. This is what a soul in the state of sin is like to those who are able to see it. It is said that St. Catherine of Sienna would become physically ill when a person in mortal sin entered the room. No doubt, God who is goodness itself is repulsed by the sight of this evil, disgusting and repulsive sin residing in the soul where grace and the love of God should reside. The Good Samaritan was therefore Christ who took the lowliest position here on earth just as the Samaritans were considered the lowest of people. He who is God and the Highest of beings took upon Himself the lowest position. And it is from this place that He comes to assist us in our miseries.
Not only did He come, but He established the Church to continue His work and He lives on in the true Church continuing this same work as the Good Samaritan for the rest of time.
Christ established within His Church the power to Baptize and wash away the penalties of Original Sin. He has given her power and authority to cleanse the wounds of sin sustained after the reception of Baptism in the sacrament of Penance.
Not only has Christ and His Church cleansed and healed the wounds of sin in our souls, but He has gone further and established a food for our souls that will strengthen us in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
Each and every one of the sacraments has the power to heal and strengthen us in our spiritual journey. And Christ through Our Holy Mother the Church offers them to all who do not place obstacles in their way. Sadly, all too often, men who are spiritually dying or are already dead refuse the assistance offered them by Christ in the sacraments. They choose to continue to suffer with their evils and die in that hopeless situation and be eternally lost.
Let us reflect on what we were before we received the benefactions of the sacraments of our Holy Mother the Church. And then, let us thank God (The Good Samaritan) for all that He has done for us through His Mystical Body, the Church!