Everything is on the bible; parables, miracles is about Jesus. Today's story is about Samaritan- Samaritan means some one who helps the stranger. We have heard and reflected this passage many times and encouraged us to be Good Samaritan to others.We are going to see this story in a different way as the fathers of the church teaches us. According to them this story is of God's love- how Jesus saves a fallen human being. This story explains what happens when we sin. When devil robs us from the love of God, we loose senses of Truth, proper functioning of our will and has very dysfunctional spiritual life.
This man in the story is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. Jerusalem is God's city, symbol of ordered life, spiritual growth. Jericho is city of sin, symbol of dysfunctional soul and spiritual life. This man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho means he is going away from the friendship of God, going away from religion, spiritual life. This story is of all men who fall from the friendship of God to a dysfunctional spiritual life. On the way he fell in the hands of robbers.
Who are the robbers? They are evil spirit. This man is attacked by evil spirit. There is something humiliating about every robbery. More than loosing our valuable things, we feel humiliated, we feel we lost our security. It's the same with someone who looses friendship with God. He feels humiliated, ashamed and Insecure.
Three ways of attack- laziness, bargaining, evil personification.
Not only he is attacked, this man is stripped off which means he lost his even his dignity. Stripping off in the biblical language is loosing one's dignity. When slaves were taken one place to another, they were naked, this action was telling they are stripped of their dignity. When evil spirit attacks he tries to take off our dignity, dignity as sons and daughters of God. One more thing follows after this: they beat him and went off leaving him half dead. When we loose friendship with God, we are half dead and we are Helpless. He is beaten up by sins and he is helpless.
A priest and Levite came. They symbolize the religion of the time. They are also going from Jerusalem to Jericho. It's showing the fallen religion. They are also going away from God. Religion is good and I have given my life but if it looses its spirit, it's not good at all.
Here comes now the portrait of Jesus and who Jesus is.
Jesus himself Is the Samaritan in the story. When we are fallen in sin and beaten by sins and half dead and helpless. It's Jesus who can help you to get back to your life.
Look at the story closely, Samaritan man approached him and poured oil and wine in his wounds. This explains the Sacramental life of the church. Jesus approaches us when we are helpless and wounded by sins. Oil is the sacramental life- we use oil for baptism, anointing of sick. It's so powerful and heals us. Wine is the symbol of Eucharist. Jesus heals our wounds of sin by pouring his blood to our wounds. If you feel today you have traveled from Jerusalem to Jericho and beaten and half dead by sins, Jesus says, I am the Good Samaritan do not worry, I will help you to heal. I will pour my blood and body to regain you.
He pays two silver pieces. What are the two silver pieces mean? This means Jesus has paid back for us to save us from the sin. And he is the Good Samaritan who gives his life in order that we will have life.
Fr. John Pozhathuparambil OFMConv.
No comments:
Post a Comment