297. Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)

Meditations no. 277 (unofficial computer-aided translation)

Charity for everybody.

The Gospel of today’s Mass tells the story of the Good Samaritan. Our Lord’s words are addressed to each of us, to teach us to be charitable in practical ways towards everybody we meet.

The parable begins by saying that a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. A priest and a Levite who happened to be travelling that way also passed by. They might have recalled the words of Scripture: I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings, but they gave more importance to their own affairs than to the man lying by the wayside. They were going about their own business, perhaps important business, and didn’t have time to stop. They lost sight of what was truly essential: charity. The service they failed to give might perhaps have merited, at the moment of judgement, the words Jesus said about the woman who washed his feet and anointed them: bonum opus operata est in me: she has done a beautiful thing to me. What we do for others, we do for Him.

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him he had compassion. It never occurred to him to think that this man was a Jew. Nor did he, as a Samaritan, take into account all the offences that had been committed against his people. He was moved by love, and this was no time for being petty-minded.

Commenting on this passage of the Gospel our Father said: I cannot possibly love the devil, but I do love everyone except him; I love every human being without exception. I’m not an enemy of anyone; all I’m opposed to is anything that goes against Christian faith and morals. But we ought to be understanding with people who hold such ideas, and pray for them. I don’t think there’s any such thing as an evil person: what happens is that, because of pride or embarrassment, people react badly when spoken to publicly. If one gets them on their own and touches their heart, if they are treated affectionately and understandingly, then they can change!

Christ’s teaching is clear: we are to love those who injure us, to be understanding with all, even though they are not understanding towards us. The Samaritan went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

What is there that the oil and wine of charity cannot achieve? The traveller was badly beaten up and left covered in blood. Charity cures all; it can transform any injury into something clean and noble. We try to love all mankind: pagans, Muslims, Jews, and those who are referred to nowadays as our separated brethren. In the first place, though, I feel obliged to love those who are not separated at all, because Theology teaches us that there are priorities in the order of charity. If someone claims to love others, but doesn’t love his own mother, then he’s deluding himself. Love everyone, but with order and harmony, so much so that those you have little obligation to love are gratified because they see that you genuinely do love them. We have to love all souls, without exception.

Charity in a special way for our brothers and sisters in the Work.

Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan in reply to a question put to him by a doctor of the Law: And who is my neighbour? When he had finished the parable he addressed the lawyer: “Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed mercy on him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

To be charitable means to be concerned for every single soul. But our charily must focus especially on those closest to us, those who are our brothers and sisters, and children of the same Mother, the Work. Our Father frequently reminded us that his children had to put their hearts on the floor as a soft carpet for their brothers and sisters to walk on. This advice should help us to be quick to forget ourselves and follow Christ’s recommendation: whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. We should see everything as one more opportunity to be of service, so that we can be first in what really matters. Jesus, may I be last in everything… and first in Love: in my love for God, which is expressed in my concern for others.

The charity we strive for implies practical acts of self-giving. When I say that you have to be a soft carpet for others to walk on, it’s not just a pretty phrase. It has to be the truth. It’s difficult, because holiness is difficult; but at the same time it’s easy, because holiness is open to everyone. Our likes and dislikes, our desires and preferences, ought to take second place to our brothers’ or sisters’ requirements, in acts of joyful self-giving which make them the centre of attention. Christ taught us that real, true love of self leads us to renounce our own good willingly and to seek the good of others. We should try to make the path of their holiness attractive, especially when they find it harder. We should be understanding with their faults and help them overcome them and identify better with the spirit of the Work. We should be ready, gently and tactfully, to carry the burdens which rest on their shoulders.

And to achieve that is no mean thing. It’s a whole attitude to life. Here you have a portrait of how sensitive you ought to be for one another’s needs, of how willing you ought to be to go out of your way to make their commitment to God pleasant and remove obstacles from their pathway to holiness. Our Father points out here how important it is for our own sanctification to make the road to holiness attractive for others too.

Fraternal charity helps us see everything from God’s point of view.

I think it is very natural for you to want the whole world to know Christ. But start with the responsibility of saving the souls of those who live with you and of sanctifying each one of your fellow workers or fellow students. This is the principal mission that the Lord has entrusted to you. Concern for others helps us have a more universal outlook; it enlarges our heart and enables us to see our contribution in its overall context, thereby preventing us from becoming wrapped up in our own thoughts and desires. The lesson we learn from the parable of the Good Samaritan is that things such as shortage of time, or the constraints of our job, or our apostolic responsibilities, can never justify a lack of charity.

For a soul in love with God, supernatural love and human love are so intertwined that in any fraternal act one’s head and heart cannot know for sure whether one is serving God or neighbour. In the latter case, what we do is serve God twice.

We need to foster in ourselves the same sentiments which inspired the Good Samaritan: he put aside his own plans in order to help the man in need. Other people’s concerns, difficulties and needs have to take priority over our own. That is how to contribute effectively to their holiness and bring to their commitment a sense of joy, just as our Father wanted.

Note that this is not an example provided by our Lord for the benefit of just a few select people, since he immediately adds in answer to his questioner, that is to each one of us: “Go and do the same yourself.”

Therefore, when in our own life or in that of others we notice something that isn’t going well, something that requires the spiritual and human help which, as children of God, we can and ought to provide, then a clear sign of prudence is to apply the appropriate remedy by going to the root of the trouble, resolutely, lovingly, and sincerely. There is no room here for inhibitions, for it is a great mistake to think that problems can be solved by omissions or procrastination.

When the evening comes to a close and it is time for us to examine our conscience in God’s presence, we see that the day has not really belonged to us, but rather to him, and that we have spent our time looking after others for his sake. And we ask him for light to discover new outlets for our spirit of service.

Our Lady gladly takes that prayer of ours, that prayer shown in deeds, and presents it before her Son.