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The words “Shepherd” and “Samaritan” that we often find in the Holy Bible are hard for us, Filipinos, to understand. I am a Good Shepherd Sister. I should be taking care of sheep as Jesus, the Good Shepherd, describes in His parables. But the only time I have seen sheep was when I visited New Zealand.
“Samaritan” is an even harder word to understand. There are no Samaritans now. The area they lived in is now occupied by Israelites and Palestinians.
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In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus is teaching us to love our neighbor. And this does not mean only the people who live in the house next door. In Pilipino – “Kapit-bahay”. Oh no! In fact, Jesus is telling us that neighbor means everyone needing our love and care. Just as when He tells us to love our brothers and sisters, he does not mean only those born of your own mother and father. He means ALL human beings, young or old, sick or strong, rich or poor, Filipino or foreigner.
It is quite easy to love those who love us first – those who take care of our needs like our food, our clothing and give us toys; who make sure of our education, our health, our safety. It is much harder to love someone whom we do not know but who needs our help at the moment. And this could happen anytime – while you are riding in your car and a blind beggar knocks on your window, or you see a school bully hitting a tiny boy in the playground, or you watch on TV that a whole area in Pasay got burned down and people are running out of their burning houses.
Check your heart and your mind now. Does your heart fill with pity and move you to do something? Does your mind begin to think of how you can help? Do you have the mind of the Good Samaritan who knew that he had to stop, even if he was in a hurry for an appointment, even if it means he would spend money he had saved for himself in order to treat the wounds of the victim? Do you have the heart of the Jesus, Good Shepherd who did not want to see any of His sheep suffering in pain?
The Commandment of God to love your neighbor as yourself does not only mean we should not hurt or harm other people. It means we should feel the pain when we see someone in pain so that we go out of our way - we go the EXTRA MILE to help that person get out of her pain.
Of course, at your age, you can’t solve all problems of the world. But you can surely make a small contribution. You can begin by talking with your parents, your teachers, and classmates what you can do for the poor and the sick and handicapped in our society.
Here are some ideas. Be faithful in dropping your twenty five centavos everyday in your Pondo ng Pinoy can or bottle. The thousands of pesos accumulated every month by all the people who bring them to Church are used to help rebuild the houses burned down or in the education of poor students or in buying medicines for sick and old farmers and fishermen. Even if you are saving some of your allowance in order to buy a video game or a cell phone or more load, your sacrificing the seven pesos (that is the total of .25 x 30 days) is really little compared to so many people you will be helping.
Another idea is for you to choose the toys and shoes and clothes and books that you have not been using for a while. Why are they gathering dust in your bedroom? Place them in a box and donate them to the poor. But first, always ask permission from your parents and show them the things you want to give away, OK? Don’t be giving away things and then demanding from your parents to buy you newer things. That is greed, not sacrifice!
Going the extra mile is not only helping with money or material things. This could mean giving extra time to help your classmate with a project, your household help with cleaning your own room or around the house so she can rest, going to Church with your dad or your grandma, or making something cute for your mom to show how much you love her.
Next time you hear the story of Jesus on the Good Samaritan, you can truly say, “Yes, Jesus, I understand you. I want to be your Good Samaritan today and everyday.
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