Neighborly Compassion and Love

The gospel reading for this weekend is a beautiful parable, the parable of the Good Samaritan. This man came upon the victim of robber's and cared for him with love and compassion. Jesus tells us at the end of the gospel that we are to go and do likewise. There are many opportunities for us each day to share the life and love of Christ with our brothers and sisters. If July 11 had not fallen on a Sunday, we would be celebrating the feast day of St. Benedict. He has become one of my favorite saints because of my Benedictine training in the seminary and growing to love Benedictine spirituality. St. Benedict wrote a rule for his monks and that rule has been followed since the sixth century. There is a piece in the rule that talks about how to receive guests, who can also be our neighbor. "All guests to the monastery should be welcomed as Christ, because He will say, 'I was a stranger and you took me in' (Mt. 25:35). Show them every courtesy, especially servants of God and pilgrims. The greeting and farewell should be offered with great humility for with bowed head and a prostrate body all shall honor in the guests the person of Christ. For it is Christ who is really being received" (#53). Let us pray that St. Benedict will intercede for us as we follow the Lord's call to go and do likewise, living the love of God and neighbor.