Deuteronomy30: 10-14
Psalm 69: 14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36-37
-or-
Psalm 19: 8-11
Colossians 1: 15-20
Luke 10: 25-37
"Just leave it to the experts."
Moses, addressing his people in preparation for them reaching the promised land (without him), did not say that. Jesus, in fleshing out the lawyer's answer about inheriting eternal life, did not say that, either.
The law of God is not some encrypted, password protected, obscure, dense treatise. It is not for only the privileged few to know and carry out. It is, "something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts." In other words, deep down you know what's right, you can feel what is right, you've got this!
If only it were always that simple, right?
The parable of the Good Samaritan in this Sunday's Gospel illustrates some challenges to acting and living according to the law of love, which is the essence of the law of God. Sometimes the demands or obligations of our profession might impede our better intentions (if the wounded stranger was dead, touching him would have rendered the priest unclean, and unable to perform his Temple duties), sometimes fear of the opinions of others, peer pressure, or 'going along to get along' hems in the inclinations of our better nature ('if the priest did nothing, perhaps I shouldn't' might've been going through that Levite's mind). Sometimes a healthy sense of 'stranger danger' goes overboard, and every interaction becomes a potential trauma, rather than a potential encounter with Christ in this unknown neighbor.
- Who are the 'neighbors' you avoid? Why? (sometimes there ARE good reasons!)
- When have you felt the law of God tugging at your heart, occupying your thoughts? What happened?
- How might you love God by serving a 'neighbor' this week?
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