Jesus told a parable to show how wide God’s love and mercy are towards every fellow human being. Jesus’ story of a brutal highway robbery was all too familiar to his audience. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho went through a narrow winding valley surrounded by steep rocky cliffs. Many wealthy Jews from Jerusalem had winter homes in Jericho. This narrow highway was dangerous and notorious for its robbers who could easily ambush their victims and escape into the hills. No one in his right mind would think of traveling through this dangerous highway alone. It was far safer to travel with others for protection and defense.

Actually, Jesus’ story tells us about true love for one’s neighbor. We must be willing to help even if others brought trouble on themselves through their own fault or negligence. Always our love and concern to help others in need must be practical. Good intentions and showing pity, or empathizing with others, are not enough. Our love for others must be as wide and as inclusive as God’s love. God excludes no one from his care and concern. God’s love is unconditional. Jesus’ love shows the mercy and care for others that we should practice. By helping our neighbor at any cost and giving what we have or sharing with him, we will be acting just as Jesus did towards others.

Jesus not only taught God’s way of love, but he showed how far God was willing to go to share in our suffering and to restore us to wholeness of life and happiness. Jesus overcame sin, suffering, and death through his victory on the cross. His death brought us freedom from slavery to sin and the promise of everlasting life with God. He willingly shared in our suffering to bring us to the source of true healing and freedom from sin and oppression. True compassion not only identifies and empathizes with the one who is in pain, but takes that pain on oneself in order to bring freedom and restoration.

Jesus showed us the depths of God’s love and compassion by sharing in our suffering and by offering his life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins upon the cross. His suffering is redemptive because it brings us healing and restoration and the fullness of eternal life. God offers us true freedom from every form of oppression, sin, and suffering. Therefore, we shall embrace the cross of Christ to suffer for his sake and to lay down our lives for our neighbors. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, we are the Shadows of Christ to others in this world. May the Good Lord bless us always, especially when we treat others like Christ.

Love and prayers.

Fr. Charley