The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
I have a consistent habit of zoning out as I walk. The fact that I can’t hear well doesn’t help. I can walk by someone I know without giving so much as a hello, even if they say hello to me! If a friend grabs me to get my attention, I am startled and have to explain being preoccupied. It’s horrible really, but I haven’t kicked the habit.
Today’s Gospel has me wondering what was going on with that priest and Levite, two religious figures, who passed by avoiding the injured man. Maybe they were like me, with so much to think about, that they could barely see in front of themselves. All they saw was an obstacle they needed to get past instead of a person needing help.
Or maybe fear overcame them in seeing a mangled body, stripped bare; the scene left them feeling unequipped to approach. Maybe they were in a rush and felt someone else would surely come along and help this fellow. But more than likely they thought, “this man is not my responsibility,” or even worse, “No one will know that I overlooked him.”
Many of us know people who are metaphorically bleeding, wounded, or stripped bare— spiritually or psychologically. Getting entangled with them feels like too much. Avoiding them feels like the comfortable thing to do. But who is it most comfortable for?
It’s easy to find excuses for why we can’t help or reach out, but today Jesus reminds us that the merciful thing to do is be a neighbor and engage. Engaging might include some initial wound-tending and finding some help. However, Jesus might simply be calling us to let them know they are seen and loved.
Jesus has given the young man, who has asked Him who his neighbor is, a clear picture that being a neighbor requires more than being religious or pious. A neighbor goes out of their way to act in mercy and compassion towards another. Sometimes that means doing things that aren’t comfortable. I am reminded that no matter how strong my faith is, losing myself in my thoughts robs me of an opportunity to be a faithful Christian and neighbor, whether to someone I know or to a stranger.
Lord, help me to see everyone around me as a neighbor and to know how to treat them with dignity and mercy so that they might come to know the fullness of Your love and mercy. Amen.
Nicole Berlucchi has been married to her husband, Joe for over 18 years. They live in Thompson’s Station, TN with their four children, where they attend Catholic Church of the Nativity. She is author of Magnify Love: Unlocking the Heart of Jesus in Your Marriage and Your Life. She produces scripture journals for teens and tweens to record their thoughts and inner movements related to scripture they read or heard that day: Rooted in Strength and Joyful Living. She serves as a contributor to CatholicMom.com and Diocesan.com, and other Catholic outlets. She is a proud member of the PraiseWriters Community as well as Catholic Writers Guild. You can follow her writing on Substack and on social media. She loves sharing her journey with Jesus and Mary so that others might: Come and see.
