Hope in the Time of Corona

Love the neighbor!

Now that I am in the process of moving from one State to another, the world around me will change drastically. Not only the landscape and weather but also the faces will be different. In this context, the question about the identity of the neighbor (Who is my neighbor?) takes on a new meaning; as always, the gospels, despite containing simple narratives, question my whole life; removes acquired securities; It takes me out of my “comfort zone,” as is said nowadays, and asks me to take the risk of starting new paths.

The challenge of deciding who to consider as a neighbor in the Gospel of Luke gives rise to a very well-known parable: that of the Good Samaritan. There Jesus dares to question what we may take for granted: that a person for being "religious" is the example to follow. Jesus leaves out the Levite and the Priest. They are too focused on fulfilling the Law, which indicates that a priest cannot defile himself by touching a dead person unless it is a close relative (Leviticus 21:1-2). The obsession with purity prevented them from checking if the wounded man was dead or alive. On the other hand, the Samaritan, a heretic from the Jewish-religious point of view, is in a better position to see reality and consequently do whatever is necessary to help the dying person.

The parable is a wake-up call for those who want to be disciples of Jesus. It questions our pastoral and missionary options. Is it really the good of others that guides our way of thinking and acting?

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