Behind the homily 7-11-10

       The parable of the “Good Samaritan” presents us with the question of who is my neighbor. As our Lord tells the parable one can draw the conclusion that anyone we encounter is our neighbor. If a Samaritan can help a Jew, two groups with intense animosity and disregard for each other in first century Palestine, then all are called to imitate the compassion of the Samaritan traveler.

       Yesterday I was talking to a married couple I am friends with and I mentioned this weekend’s homily and said we all have to continue to pray for conversion. Our conversion to greater discipleship in Christ never ends in this life. We pray for our own continuing conversion and the conversion of those we love. One of the challenges of marriage, parenting and family life is to pray for that continued experience of conversion and spiritual growth. I think that all of us want to be holier, without becoming holier than thou. We want to love God more and more, but we wonder where it will all lead in this life. We know where we hope it leads in the next life, but where will it lead between now and then. The perpetual temptation is to want to settle for “enough.” We have grown, converted or changed enough in life so that we can now take a break or cease growing.

       The “good enough” temptation is one I have to fight again and again in my life. I know that Jesus owes me nothing. I know that I have nothing to offer Jesus that He doesn’t already possess. The only thing I can offer Him is my loving worship, something He refuses to receive from me without my consent and desire. He expresses that invitation and reception with such simplicity: “Follow me.” Most of us are like the Apostles, we spend our time with Jesus and we are slowly changed into men and women of faith. Sometimes the changes are so slow and imperceptible that one may wonder if we are changing at all. Every now again we meet a “St. Paul” who has a profound change in life and they are on fire with their new found faith. Such people can be a bit overwhelming, but if they have the patience they can appreciate the different paths of conversion that others walk.

       The Gospel this week invites us to examine who is our neighbor. Who are the individuals or groups that we to exclude from being our neighbor? Jesus is not calling us to be BFF (Best Friends Forever) with the entire world; He is calling us to live with charity and compassion. Who are the individuals on the fringe of my compassion, who are the people least likely to be treated as a neighbor? How will I invite the Holy Spirit to grace that border and make it more permeable, less defensive, less exclusive of my charity, compassion or understanding?