Catholic Identity

Good Samaritan: Reflection 

What does being a Good Samaritan mean? 

Being a Good Samaritan, in the eyes of God, embodies the essence of compassion, selflessness, and love for one's neighbour. It draws its significance from a parable in the Bible, found in the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus teaches a powerful lesson about what it means to truly love and care for others.

In this parable, a man is attacked, robbed, and left for dead on the side of the road. Several individuals, including a priest and a Levite, pass by without offering assistance. However, a Samaritan, someone from a different background and culture, stops to help the injured man. He tends to his wounds, takes him to an inn, and ensures he receives the care he needs, even offering to cover the expenses.

The key message here, as understood in the eyes of God, is that being a Good Samaritan means extending love and assistance to others, regardless of their background, ethnicity, or circumstances. It means putting aside our differences and prejudices to help those in need. It's about showing mercy, kindness, and genuine concern for the well-being of our fellow human beings.

In God's eyes, being a Good Samaritan is not just a random act of kindness but a way of life, a calling to love our neighbours as ourselves. It's a demonstration of the second great commandment given by Jesus: "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Matthew 22:39). It's a reminder that our faith should be reflected in our actions, and that true spirituality is measured by how we treat others, especially those who are vulnerable or in need.

Ultimately, being a Good Samaritan, in the eyes of God, is a profound expression of God's love working through us, as we become vessels of His mercy and compassion in the world. It's a powerful reminder of our responsibility to care for one another and to live out our faith in practical, loving deeds.

Good Samaritan Prayer:

God of love, May we always see the world through the eyes of the Good Samaritan and be filled with your deep compassion. 

Help us to be merciful neighbours even when it is inconvenient, when we don’t have time, or when we have other responsibilities to attend to. Grant us the insight to see the need in those around us, the wisdom to know how to respond, and the strength to do so willingly. 

We pray for those we might cross the road to avoid - the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised. Those, who in many and various ways, have been stripped, beaten and left for dead. We pray for all who call from us more than we feel we have to give. 

Open our eyes, that we might not cross the road from human need. May our love of you and love of our neighbour call us to be people of peace and justice in the world. And may we, like the Good Samaritan, always ‘go and do likewise’.