A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said: "Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend." Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? He said: "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him: "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:30-37)

Like the other parables I have discussed in this book, this parable also describes the social map of Israel. We find several people on a journey to Jericho, one of whom gets beaten up. A priest and a Levite make the same journey and pass by the wounded man. The third person would normally be a layperson in the Israelite social structure. The story is very cleverly put together. It builds on the triad that was so familiar to people in the social structure of the time: that is, priest, Levite, and layperson. We have to remember, too, that Samaritans were regarded as mortal enemies of the Jewish nation and apostates from the Jewish religion as well. For the listeners, there could hardly be a more precise image of moral corruption coming down the road than a Samaritan.

Sure enough, in Jesus' parable, along comes a Samaritan. The hearers probably think that the Samaritan will just finish off the poor man by the side of the road. Instead, the Samaritan begins to show all kinds of mercy. The story obviously undermines the social presuppositions of that period in Palestinian society. The message is clear that whoever you think is your enemy may be your greatest friend. Even more significantly, the parable undermines the easy assumption that we all have regarding what is good and what is evil. The good guy becomes the bad guy and the bad guy the good, leaving some of the listeners to conclude that the story is just unbelievable and to write it off as of no interest. The parable emphasizes that there are no barriers in the Kingdom of heaven. Barriers are things that human beings set up, not God, and, if we do not take down these barriers, they could follow us into the next life.

The parable emphasizes that God is the Father of everyone. There are no elites, no chosen ones, because everybody is chosen in God's plan. God desires all persons to be saved. This idea of God was revolutionary for the people of the time. As we have seen, the popular conception envisaged God as the defender of Israel, as the God of armies, as the God of Mount Sinai, of the sacred and the transcendent. Jesus completely undermines this idea of God.

Thérèse's idea of God was God extending his love to everybody In the last few months of her life she wrote: "Love fulfills every vocation." We do not have to go to the missions. We do not have to teach catechism. We do not have to do this or that good work. We have to do something--that is, what is at hand and what we can easily do--to minister to the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of others. Showing kindness, reaching out to those in trouble, and holding the hand of those in sorrow-these works of mercy manifest the Kingdom of God. Thérèse sought to do everything out of love. In her judgment, "To pick up a pin out of love can convert a soul."

Think then of the enormous potentialities of this humble, hidden, but persevering love that consists not in sentiment but in showing love to those who need it. In the circumstances of daily life--in the family, at work or wherever just keep showing love. We walk down the street, talk with people, work, play. Why not do everything as a way of manifesting God and allowing God in us to reveal his love to everyone? When we go to the movies or to church, or are in a big crowd, why not open our hearts to everybody and surround them with the love of God. Or ask ourselves how we might be reconciled with the members of our family, forgive our enemies, practice the various works of mercy, endure sickness and death out of love for God. In Thérèse's view, love is all that counts.

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Excerpted from St. Thérèse of Lisieux by Fr. Thomas Keating

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