How do we get to heaven and “inherit eternal life”? This is the question posed to Jesus in Sunday’s Gospel. Jesus asks the questioner what his answer would be. The reply has two elements, love of God and neighbour both of which are found in Jewish law. The love of neighbour was at the time unique to the Jewish religion; however “neighbour” was seen as the person who lived nearby, or may stretch to the whole of the nation of Israel, there was certainly no thought of a wider community or fellowship. It did not include the love of all humankind.

Jesus, as he so often does, turns to a story to make his point. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 17 miles and the road descends more than 3,000 feet, it was a wild country and it still has a desolate feel, just rocks and desert. The two passers-by, the priest and the Levite, obviously see the person left for dead. In fairness perhaps they went on their way because of a reasonable fear they too would meet the same fate as the traveller, also, if he was dead, their religious rules meant that they would be ritually contaminated if they touched him. But Jesus will have deeply shocked is audience by making the hero of his story a Samaritan. The bitterness between Jews and Samaritans was long standing and very deep; it is hard for us to understand just how upsetting this would have been for Jesus’ audience. The hostility between the two peoples was fully reciprocated.

Jesus, as he always does, presses on with his message – the duty we all have of pausing to notice and care for the other regardless of who they are, especially those we would prefer to ignore. A need to reach out with compassion, tenderness, and generosity, just as the Samaritan does, going the extra mile for the other. The Samaritan is closer to inheriting eternal life than the lawyer.

So, what about us? As I don’t use a car, I find that I have moments every day when I walk on by. Times when I avert my eyes or cross the street to avoid an encounter that I don’t want to have. There are times every day when I am the priest in the parable. Lord, have mercy on me a sinner. At my best I pause to offer what I have, and there are times when it’s just a chat with another human being, just taking an interest. It is the movement of generosity of spirit which not only draws me and the other person closer to the heart of Jesus but makes both of us feel a better person. What about you? Do you walk on by too? Who are you on the road to Jericho? Are you on the road to eternal life with God?

Please be assured of my prayers for your needs and intentions in Lourdes.

Fr Chris