Jesus
Breaks the Habit of Putting Limits on Our
Love
Father James Swanson, LC
Luke 10:25-37
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to
him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in
reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your
mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have
answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he
wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went
off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that
road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed
by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he
lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for
him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the
innkeeper with the instruction, ´Take care of him. If you spend
more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.´
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers´
victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus
said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Introductory Prayer: Holy Spirit, may my
contemplation of Scripture instill in me the virtue of hope the
firm belief that through your grace I can be saved. Help me to
cooperate with your grace.
Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of loving
without limits. Help me to be like the Good Samaritan.
1. Love Our Neighbor Above Ourselves. The people
listening to Jesus would all admit that they should love God above
all things. Maybe many didnt practice it well, but they at least
pretended to love him outwardly by living his commandments. Love of
neighbor was another matter. The Jewish Law of the Talion put a
limit on vengeful action: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth. But Jesus wants to take things to a whole new level the
level of brotherly love. From now on he wants us to live a love for
others inspired by the love he showed for us on the cross. We were
his enemies, addicted to sin. He owed us nothing, yet he died for
our sake. In times past, it was common to abuse the poor and the
handicapped as people cursed by God on account of some sin. Now,
Jesus proposes to love all, regardless of their condition. Do I
strive to love this way?
2. Its Not Enough to Love Those Close to Me.
Probably most of us, like those listening to Jesus, accept that we
need to love and serve God, and obey the commandments. But when it
comes to loving others, we fail. Sometimes it seems that I have a
difficult time loving even those who are closest to me. Those I see
on a daily basis are often the ones that have to bear the worst in
me. They suffer the most from my impatience, anger, and lack of
self-control. Why does this happen? Is it because the love I have
for my family and closest friends is a selfish love? Is it because
I am looking for what they can do for me instead of what I could be
doing for them? Is it because I put limits on my love, thinking to
myself: I am willing to do this and this for you, but not that!
Thats going too far! Havent I already done enough? Loves
response should always be that I havent done enough, that I can
never do enough because real love has no limits.
3. Love Your Enemies. Jesus also asks us to love
our enemies. In the parable, the victim receives help from someone
whom he, as a Jew, would have considered to be inferior and an
enemy a Samaritan. There was no friendship between the Jews and
the Samaritans. Although their lands were adjoining, historical
circumstances caused them to carry grudges against each other and
avoid each other as much as possible. Yet it is a Samaritan whom
Jesus makes the hero of the parable. In seeing the mans distress,
and stopping to help and care for him, Jesus makes him the image of
himself. St Augustine says that the Samaritan represents Jesus and
the victim represents humanity. When we couldnt help ourselves,
when we were estranged from Gods friendship because of our sins,
God in his love stopped to help us. This is the love Jesus wants us
to practice the same love he practiced on the cross. "Go and do
likewise," he tells us.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, help me to love the
way I should. Help me to see you on the cross as the example of how
I should love a love without limits. So many times I limit my
love, not just with those who are opposed to me in some way, but
even with those closest to me, whom I claim to love. Help me stop
putting limits on my love. Help me stop loving selfishly. I am
sorry for accepting your love for me on the cross while failing to
love others in the same way. I want to change and for the better.
Dont let me discouraged by my little daily setbacks as I try to
love more, but encourage me to be more like you, to be a Good
Samaritan to all I meet.
Resolution: I will remove the limits I have placed
on loving someone close to me my spouse, children, parents,
brothers and sisters, close friends, co-workers , being patient
and understanding at moments when I dont feel like loving.