THE GOOD SAMARITAN (LUKE 10:25-37)

 The Congregation of Mercedarian Sisters of Charity (1878-2023)

Readings: Exodus 3:7-12; Luke 10: 25-37

1. THE VOCATION TO MERCEDARIAN LIFE IS YOUR SPECIFIC IDENTITY OF THE CHARISM

a) Value of your Identity: Vocation to Mercedarian life is your specific identity. The root of the Congregation tree is the charismatic identity. There is the beauty of your identity in your charism for which God has been faithful through His presence. 

b) Vocation precedes mission: Before God sent Moses on Mission, God called Moses through a remarkable event. God appeared to Moses in the flame of fire at the burning bush. And there he reveals his identity. The vocation precedes and the mission succeeds. God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you” (Jer 1:5). This experience is a must for all the members of this religious family. Moses was nobody before God chose him, but he became a leader and prophet because of God. God is your project, he is your dream, and he is everything to you. Do not start any work without his intervention. “All that we do is for the good of humanity, of God, by God, and for God.” (Blessed Father Zegrí).

c) The burning bush refers to Holy Spirit’s action, who always worked for 145 years and still works for the living charism. Charism is not obsolete, or antique, but transforming and changing. 

2. THE MERCIFUL GAZE OF THE SAMARITAN

a) Merciful gaze from the Father: God says to Moses in the first readings, “I have observed, I have heard, I know their sufferings. I came down to liberate them from their slavery”. It is not your task/job/ministry. You are participating in the work of God’s redemption. Your charism is a redemptive charity service in order to the full liberation of the human being. We need to look at our poor in the way how Jesus looked at Matthew (Mt 9:9), Zacchaeus (Lk 19:2) & the paralytic man (Jn 5) 

b) No to the culture of Indifference: Priests and Levite passed by on the other side because they had proper roles and functions to exercise in society. “Touching a dead body rendered priests and Levites ceremonially unclean and so unable to fulfill temple commitments (Lev. 21-22). Sometimes, we need to take risks showing our love to the poor which may demand our time, energy and space. It may take away your time. 

c) Look at the poor creatively: Do not condemn, judge and underestimate. Read the different methods to evangelize them through our charity. Look at them as they have body, mind and soul. Our charity includes integral development. 

3. FIDELITY IN THIS RELIGIOUS FAMILY UNTIL THE END 

Fidelity: Faithfulness of your charism and mission in the church. “Then the Samaritan put the wounded man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend”. Charity should be done in its fullness. Do not give yourselves half, but give your full commitment on the day of the 140th anniversary. Face the daily challenges – Think of the presence of Providential God –‘Faithfulness’ is our response to God's fidelity.

Helping a person wounded in a road accident is a compassionate and morally responsible act — but it's important to take precautions to protect both the victim and yourself. Here’s a practical and safe approach to follow:

Is the Good samaritan parable applicable today? 

First thing, the Good Samaritan applies wine and oil for the wounds, we are not authorized to give medicines, we should not do unnecessary movement or touching of the wounded person. Moving a person with a spinal or neck injury can cause serious harm. we need to call Emergency Services immediately. 

If available, wear gloves or use a clean cloth to avoid contact with blood or bodily fluids. If no gloves, use plastic bags or cloth to avoid direct contact. Do not expose wounds unnecessarily or try to treat them if untrained.

Don’t give them food or drink (can cause complications if surgery is needed), Don’t remove a helmet (for motorcycle accident victims), Don’t leave the scene without giving your statement if you witnessed the accident.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) remains powerfully relevant today, even though our social structures and regulations may prevent us from helping in exactly the same way as the Samaritan did. 

1. The Heart of the Parable: Mercy Beyond Boundaries

At its core, the parable is not just about what the Samaritan did, but why he did it. He acted with compassion toward someone others ignored — even though the man was from a group that hated Samaritans.

Today’s Application:

You don’t need to physically carry a wounded person to the hospital to be a Good Samaritan. You can Stop and call emergency services Offer comfort or stay with someone in distress until help arrives.

. Support people who are marginalized, ignored, or hurting in your community (refugees, the poor, the sick, victims of abuse, etc.).

2. Laws and Limits Don’t Excuse Indifference

It’s true that today, laws might restrict how much direct physical assistance you can offer (e.g. for medical, liability, or safety reasons). But these laws do not excuse us from compassion.

Taking appropriate action within your limits (calling help, reporting abuse, offering emotional support).

Not letting religion, race, politics, or social status stop you from seeing the other as your neighbor.

3. Who Is My Neighbor?

Jesus' point was that everyone is our neighbor — especially the one who is wounded, left out, or suffering, even if they are culturally or socially distant from us. In today's polarized world, being a Good Samaritan means breaking barriers: Listening and caring for people of different beliefs.

PARABLE OF TEN VIRGINS

For religious rite of consecration, Nov 8, 2020 | Charitas Sisters 

1. Jesus and the image of the bridegroom: 

In the Gospel, Jesus is usually coming like a thief, but he is coming in the image of the bridegroom, one of the most beautiful images of the Bible. There are many images used in the Scripture to explain the relationship between God and people. God presents himself as a husband. God is the bridegroom and the people of Israel is the bride. “Thus, says the LORD, I am your husband, you are my love as a bride, remember! how you followed me in the wilderness”. (Jer 2) 

The first attitude that I suggest you in these days is to look inside your heart, and to discover what really you desire. Who is God for you? Who is Jesus for you? Don't be satisfied with listening to what others can tell you. Try to make to emerge what is your more personal desire. You will discover that Jesus is the only person able to satisfy your greater desires (real bridegroom): to the most important things of the life of a person.  

2. Prepare your oil; Symbol of consecration: 

In the Bible, consecrated oil is used always for the ordination of the priests. “You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him”. (Ex 29:7) “And he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him”. (Lev. 8:12) 

In your life, Consider vocation as a gift. Nobody can replace your vocation. Aspirancy house is the vocational reception Houses in the residential form an ambit all the more specifically adapted for accompanying of vocations, preliminary stage to postulancy. Remember, you cannot borrow the oil, Why the wise virgins were not charitable enough to share the oil? Because Nobody can replace your vocation. 

3. You are knocking on the doors of religious life: 

The two disciples make a question to Jesus, “Where do you dwell?” Jesus responds “Come and see!” You are here to do in this year! peep into the doors of Charitas sisters" Then you knock the doors.  Here is the second proposal that I make to you: “What do you see around you and on you?” If Jesus was physically present here, among us, and wanted to help us to understand” What would tell you Jesus?” 

He would perhaps begin this way: “You see, the society in this year has made so many changes (Covid). You are young, and you have received a Christian education, but you will have to put into practice your faith in different way of that your parents or your predecessors have lived and I will be near to you giving my strength to your desire to transform and respond to today’s world of miseries. Pray that Jesus could lend you his own eyes so that you could be able to observe today’s society and answer this question: “Which are the most urgent necessities so that our society could live the evangelical values preached by Jesus?  This way you will find your personal vocation, that will, at same time your answer to Jesus and to humanity.  

Fortunately, you don't begin today your mission from zero. You don’t are alone, this community can help to live with enthusiasm your desire to follow Jesus and to serve the society.  

Have a Good journey! 

ALL SOULS DAY

 The Church is perceived in three stages: the pilgrim Church here on earth, the suffering Church in the purgatory; and the glorified Church in heaven. This is the feast of the glorified Church.

1. How does the Bible understand death? The Holy Bible uses the following metaphors to bring forth the meaning of death: (f) ‘Sleep’ (cf. Jn 11:11-14. Mk 5:39). Describing Lazarus’s death, Jesus says, ‘Lazarus is sleeping.’ Death is understood as a long, deep sleep.

What do we do on All Souls Day?

Saint Augustine, in his Confessions, recording about his mother’s (Saint Monica’s) death, writes: “We thought that my mother would have desired to be buried near her husband. But she told us, ‘You bury me wherever you want to! My Lord is able to resurrect me from anywhere. But forget me not at the altar.’”

Monica’s words tell us three things: (a) At our death, our body does not matter to us anymore. The body dies, but the soul lives. (b) We must remember and pray for the dead; and (c) We will rise one day. The Lord will resurrect our body and soul.

The Sacred Tradition of the Church invites us to remember and pray for the dead. In the first reading, the author of Wisdom of Solomon says, “The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.” The souls that are in our hands when we are alive will go to God when we die. They go to the safest place. Jesus says in the gospel reading, “All will come to me.” All will go to Jesus on the Last Day and all will obtain eternal life. The second reading invites us to be united with Jesus in his death so that we may be united with him in life eternal.

3. The memorial gives us three life lessons:

(a) Memento mori! Carpe diem!

Life is short. Life that is lived with our last step in mind is lived well. As the candle melts, our lives melt, and as the smoke of the incense disappears, we too disappear. But as long as we are alive, we give light, and we give fragrance. These brothers and sisters, whom we recall today, gave light, life, and sweetness to our lives. Remember death (memento mori)! and seize the day, every day (carpe diem)!

(b) Life before death!

Often times, we are preoccupied with life after death. But it is our life before death that defines our life after. Let us fix our minds and hearts here on earth and live our lives well, with gratitude and care.

(c) We are not alone – at death!

Death frightens us because we have to face it alone. But we are not alone in death. As we remember our near and dear ones, we will be remembered and prayed for. Death is a thin fence between our loved ones and us.

‘All will come to me!’ These are the words of Jesus and of the tomb! But we are not afraid. For there is life beyond the tomb. The empty tomb of Jesus is the answer to the tombs that we visit today. At this tomb, we will see the one who sees us (cf. Gen 16).

“Grant them eternal rest, O Lord! May the perpetual light shine upon them!

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.”