Be bothered, with compassion

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is challenging us to reflect on those times when we "can not be bothered" with someone or by something in our lives and to look at them anew with compassion.

The priest and the Levite saw the robbers' victim and could not be bothered by his situation and passed on the opposite side. However, the Samaritan was "moved with compassion" and not only took the man to an inn, but he cared for him the entire night 

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is moved with compassion for us, because we are sheep with a shepherd, and he died on the Cross for our salvation. If we are to live by the his commandment to love God and love of our neighbor as ourselves, we must be moved with compassion for our fellow sojourners on the pilgrim on earth.

It is tremendously important for parents to "be bothered" with things of their children. If parents take the time to listen to their children's little things, then their children will be more willing to approach their parents with big things in their lives. Let us all be moved with compassion and all ourselves to "be bothered" by others, especially our families and loved one.

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Gospel of the Day

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,

“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?

How do you read it?”

He said in reply,

“You shall love the Lord, your God,

with all your heart,

with all your being,

with all your strength,

and with all your mind,

and your neighbor as yourself.”

He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;

do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, 

“And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied, 

“A man fell victim to robbers

as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.

A priest happened to be going down that road,

but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

Likewise a Levite came to the place,

and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.

But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him

was moved with compassion at the sight.

He approached the victim,

poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.

Then he lifted him up on his own animal,

took him to an inn, and cared for him.

The next day he took out two silver coins

and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,

‘Take care of him.

If you spend more than what I have given you,

I shall repay you on my way back.’

Which of these three, in your opinion,

was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”

Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”