You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here.
American foreign policy has tacked between internationalism and nationalism. Our current government is on the extreme nationalist end of that spectrum, quickly upending relationships with allies, business partners and recipients of aid. This administration wields the language of Christian faith – but how do its policies square with Jesus’ teachings and example, especially as communicated in the parable we are contemplating this week?
At the end of Jesus’ story, he asks the lawyer, “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy,”’ Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
We live in a world in which whole communities, even countries can fall into the hands of robbers. We share a history in which too often we have been – or still are – the robbers. We also share a rich legacy of showing mercy and providing help to those who are injured.
How might we as nations, and as individuals, more fully live into the character of this outsider who put himself at risk to reclaim, restore and renew the one fallen by the wayside? After all, that is what God has done for us. Might we “go and do likewise?”
At the heart of it lies the truth that until we are all free and equal in opportunity, security, and peace, none of us is free. Until we are willing to “respect the dignity of every human being,” as our baptismal covenant asks us to promise, we will let discord and mistrust rule us rather than the Law of Love. Just like all three of the passersby in Jesus’ story, each one of us has the choice when we see someone in pain – or a community or nation in the grip of tyranny or corruption – to stop or walk on, engage or condemn, bring healing or leave someone to die. How will we exercise the choices we do have?
The opportunities to do so are coming thick and fast.
© Kate Heichler, 2025. To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Here are the bible readings for next Sunday. Water Daily is also a podcast – subscribe to it here on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.
No comments:
Post a Comment