W C Fields, who was a famous actor of the time, was in hospital just before he died. A friend visited him and found him leafing through a Bible. The actor explained: “I’m looking for loopholes.”  There is no need for loopholes in studying Scripture because salvation is offered to everyone. There are many, however, who try to have God on their own terms. One such person was, perhaps, the lawyer in today’s Gospel. He was like many lawyers throughout the ages. He was looking at the small print. He was trying to catch Christ out.  He was looking for a loophole.

We are told that he was putting Christ to the test when he asked: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25).  Christ’s response was a good example of leading someone to the right answer from what they already know. He asked what the Law itself said.  As the lawyer replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ ” (Luke 10:27). Elsewhere Christ also said that: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:40) We show our love of God in loving our neighbours and we know that when we serve our neighbours we serve God. Love is the important issue; not following a set of rules for its own sake.

The lawyer is not prepared to leave the matter alone however. He really was trying to pin Christ down. Therefore he asks another question, “Who is my neighbour?”. He wanted to know whom he should love. Christ’s response is to tell the short parable.

The story of the Good Samaritan is so familiar to most of us that we can overlook some of its impact. The man was attacked and robbed. Consider the priest and the Levite, who both passed by and did nothing. They arguably had the excuse that they could have been faced with a man who was about to die. If that meant handling a corpse they would have become ritually unclean and unable to perform the sacred services of the Temple. That meant they were putting the rules ahead of caring for another human being.  They missed the big issue in slavish adherence to what they saw as correct behaviour. We also need to be aware of the bigger issues. Thus the Orthodox Church has both the rules of the Canons and yet practices economy, whereby the strict rules are relaxed in case of need. In contrast the priest and the Levite were preferring to safeguard their ceremonial duties rather than help a man in deep distress and need. Was that correct behaviour?

It was a Samaritan who came along and took pity on the man. He dealt with the man’s injuries, as well as he could, and took the man to an inn where he could recover. The Samaritan also promised to deal with any extra charges when he returned. Even the lawyer had to concede that it was the Samaritan who was a neighbour to the man who had been robbed. Thus it was a despised foreigner who dealt with the true demands of the law by loving his neighbour.

It must have seemed very shocking to the hearers of the parable. The Samaritans were seen as a group of heretics by the Jewish people and there was a deeply rooted alienation between the two groups; with prejudice against the Samaritans.  Prejudice is something that affects many human beings. It remains ugly and sinful. Everyone is beloved of God. How dare we hate?

Between the Samaritan and the clergy of the Temple in this story we need to ask who was closer to God. We can learn from their behaviour because how we behave reveals out true nature.  There is a warning here too. Truly we ought not to judge: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”  (Luke 6:37). We may learn from the Samaritan in the parable that others are closer to God than they may seem from outward appearance. 

But how do we help?  (Children’s Q&A)

We can consider the parable as an example of Christ’s showing how He would act in practical love. The greatest example of a loving person is Christ Himself. We suffer attacks and distress and Christ is there to help. He takes us not to an inn but to another place where we may receive care. That place of course is the Church, which is truly a place of healing.  Christ never asks us to do something that He would not do Himself.

There is another benefit to helping others because when we help the act changes relationships for the better. This is shown in an incident involving a famous American called Benjamin Franklin. He was a great scientist, a politician and had many other achievements. There was another politician he did not get on with.  What he did was clever. He wrote to the other man and asked to borrow a particular book. He sent it back a few days later with a note of thanks. Next time they met they had a friendly conversation and they continued as friends until the man died. By doing someone a favour we break down resentments and dislike. Indeed, we are more able and willing to help them again. The change in thinking and behaviour is called, in psychology, the Franklin Effect.  Franklin’s new friend had disliked him. It is possible that the Samaritan and the injured man would have become great friends after the incidents in the parable. It is hard to maintain suspicion and dislike when the person is a helpful friend. In the same way we may be instruments of healing in our society when we act properly in love. We can heal divisions by helping others. It does not matter whether the person has any faith or none. If we act in a loving way we bring about increased tolerance and show the glory of God. It may be a great and difficult task or may be a simple kind action, but helping others is our role.

Today’s Epistle includes the verse: “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).

Such is our calling. For us all, the words Christ spoke to the lawyer at the end of today’s Gospel apply: “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37). Thus we will be doing God’s work.