Being a neighbor - The question is not Who? but how?

One of the characteristics that most impresses me about Jesus during his ministry in Galilee is his pedagogical sagacity. In the Gospels we can read how the opponents of Jesus always tended 'theological ambushes' with the desire to discredit him. However, with his divine wisdom, the Master not only resolved the controversies presented, but also which also turned provocative episodes into learning moments for the benefit of all his listeners. This is the pedagogical pattern that we find in the well-known account in Luke 10: 25-37; "The parable of the good Samaritan."

As a test, an "interpreter of the law" who was in the area, threw a "bait" to Jesus in the form of a pious question: "What will I do to inherit eternal life?" Cured of terror, Jesus bounces the question to the interpreter: “What is written in the law? What do you read in it? " It turns out that the “interpreter” knew the answer to his own question, quoting Deuteronomy 6: 5 along with Leviticus 19:18 as a professional scripture. Thus Jesus seems to have put an end to the trick question of the knower of the law. Surprisingly, the pious lawyer still had a question to ask:

…And who is my neighbor?...

It is here where Jesus, perhaps a little tired of the impertinence of the provocateur, decides to present a parable as an educational method, both for the man who sought his attention, and for all those in his proximity; that includes you and me. To appreciate the vital teaching of Jesus to our lives through this parable we must pay attention to a very important detail.

It is extremely essential to recognize that Jesus never answered the question, "Who is my neighbor?" to the interpreter of the law. At the end of the parable, what Jesus asks the man is: Which of these three do you think proved [to be a neighbor] to the one who fell into the hands of the robbers?

The key here is the statement "be a neighbor." Jesus' interest in this illustration is not to determine whether or not we can identify our neighbor. Rather, Christ's call to our lives is to "be a neighbor" to those who have fallen into "the hands of robbers."

It is interesting to note that both the priest and the Levite were able to identify "who their neighbor was." However, when they saw the dying man, they both refused to "be a neighbor" of the perpetrator and crossed to the other side of the road. Perhaps they felt sorry for the man as they walked away from him. Perhaps they questioned the effectiveness of their actions in a desolate place. Or they simply fell prey to their fears. The Samaritan, on the other hand, was moved by compassion and took the risk of being a neighbor to the stranger.

We, in our role as "interpreters of the law" sometimes confuse our task. We have dedicated ourselves to the function of "identifying others" either by our judgment or our "grief." Jesus, through this parable, wishes to transform our question from “who is my neighbor? To how can I be the neighbor of those lying on the desolate paths of life? In other words, Jesus invites us to be the kind of neighbor that he was.

Obviously, it is impossible to be like Christ by our own morality or determination! When Jesus tells us "Go and do the same" he is inviting us to recognize the distortion of our human actions. Without the guidance of the Master, even our questions need to be transformed. Therefore, the task of being a neighbor is a task that is only fulfilled when we surrender our lives at the feet of Christ. It is only in the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit that we can be good Samaritans and Samaritans, (2 Corinthians 5:17). Without the resurrection power of Christ in us, our acts of beneficence are acts of hollow morality.

Therefore I invite you to reflect on the importance of [being a neighbor] instead of feeling the need to discover who our neighbor is. It is only in the recognition of our impossibility and the acceptance of the power of Christ in our lives that we can transition from the "who?" to the "how?"