Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 105:1 to 22; Evening, Psalm 105:23 to 45;
Ezekiel 18:1 to 4 and 19 to 32; Hebrews 7:18 to 28; Luke 10:25 to 37:
“Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.” (Luke 10: 31 and 32)
This is the story of the Good Samaritan. It is in response to a lawyer who asks, “Who is my neighbor?” and answered by our Lord Jesus. Jesus begins by showing the unneighborly acts by persons thought to have compassion for all people, but did not.
Passing by on the other side seems to be the ancient way of avoiding difficult situations. We still pass by difficult situations today. We don’t want to have the difficult conversations about the sins of racism, or mental illness, or reconciliation with those who have been wrongly incarcerated, or even those who have differing opinions than ourselves. Too many of us would rather have no contact or communication with the details of a problem than to do the hard work of unraveling it. It is like unraveling a tangled set of Christmas lights. We do this avoidance knowing that once done, the results will be beautiful.
Human language is a beautiful thing. We have ways of reasoning through the spoken and written words that other forms of life on earth life do not have. However, we fail to use dialogue in the best ways, ways that will bring us together in more loving relationships. But the truth is, we must want the virtue of compassion for ourselves first. We must want to be able to live in harmony with others. There should be nothing, no subject, that we cannot talk about. Such conversation requires discipline. We must have in place rules of respect and tolerance. But like the Good Samaritan, we must start with compassion. We have been passing by on the other side for far too long. Let’s fix this, or at least, begin to.
Today we remember Boniface, Bishop, Missionary, Martyr (June 5, 754) and his information may be found at: Boniface
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray:
Help us, O help us Dear Lord to have compassion for one another. Let us use the gift of compassion and mercy to unravel our languages in a way that allows us to feel the hearts of our neighbors knowing that all of humanity are our neighbors, and that as we do this, we too will be Good Samaritans, and pleasing in Your sight; Amen.
onewhoponders 