Weekly message
from Fr. Chris

Dear SPA Family,
We can ask ourselves: who is this Samaritan that Jesus talks about in the parable? He is, in fact, some unknown, descending from Jerusalem to Jericho by the road that passed through the Judean desert. We can’t say much about him himself.

But it was he who became interested in the man who was attacked by robbers on the same road; robbed, beaten, abandoned, and half dead. Jesus says that a priest and a Levite who were involved in the worship of the temple in Jerusalem passed there before the Samaritan. They both noticed the poor man beaten, but they passed by indifferently, not stopping or helping. On the other hand, when the Samaritan saw him, he was deeply moved. It was this emotion that prompted him to act. So, he went up to him, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them, and put him on his livestock, drove him to an inn, nursed him, and paid for his accommodation. In other words, he was deeply moved by the suffering of a person he met. He devoted his time, heart and resources to him. It is a beautiful example of charity. The parable of the Good Samaritan shows what our relationship should be to our suffering neighbors, to people in need. We must not pass them by, or pass them indifferently, but we should stop by them and take specific action. The parable of the Good Samaritan is meaningful. Now, if we ask anew the question - just like at the beginning - who is this good Samaritan, we can already say much more about him.

A good Samaritan is a person who stops at the suffering of another human being. This stopping does not mean curiosity, but a willingness to help. A good Samaritan is a person sensitive to the suffering of others, a person of sensitive heart who is moved by the misfortune of his neighbor. A good Samaritan is a person for whom an emotion becomes a stimulus for action aimed at bringing help to others. A good Samaritan is one who helps in suffering and puts his heart and time into helping another person, but also does not regret material resources. A good Samaritan is a person who is capable of such a gift of himself. A good Samaritan is a person whose heart is good and generous, and fulfills the will of God, who wants mercy rather than sacrifice.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is meaningful, and it is also Jesus’ answer to the question: Who is my neighbor?. A neighbor is the one who keeps the commandment of love, who shows mercy. God always wants a merciful heart from everyone because He himself is merciful and understands well our afflictions, our difficulties and also our sins. A good Samaritan is a person who imitates God’s mercy, mercy towards someone who needs him.
So, let us go, and do likewise! This is Jesus’ invitation addressed to us today.
Have a blessed week. Fr. Chris

Dear SPA Family,
We often hear about various evangelizing initiatives; we see people who commit themselves to proclaiming Christ. There are people who preach, conduct meetings, concerts, and sometimes even retreats. This reassures us because the Gospel is preached and does not require my involvement. Jesus reminds us that there are still few workers. Each of us is sent. Are we ready for it? Many of us will answer no. The disciples sent by Jesus seem to have felt the same and they were shorter with Jesus than many of us.

Jesus sending them said: Go! Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way! (Lk 10: 3-4). The situation - although centuries have passed - has not changed. We are still being sent out to those who do not favor us. No emergency measures are needed. All wealth is to be Christ. This is the experience of the disciples who were sent, who returned joyful and said: Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name. (Lk 10:17).
Christ’s disciple is to be a giver of love and peace. Biblical peace comes from God, it is the fruit of redemption. It is given to us. We are sent to others to bring God’s peace. How much anxiety there is around us? How many times do our conversations end with fights, misunderstandings? When we look around, we experience a lack of understanding, kindness and help at almost every step. To find out about it, it is enough to take a bus or a train, look at the relations between neighbors and the atmosphere in the workplace. This is where we are to bring peace. Let us become those sent who bring peace.

Somebody made such an entry in our Book of Petitions: “From my school years, I always remember a science class, during which the teacher placed four tuning forks on the desk and touched the first with a tiny hammer. This one made a sound, then a second answered, then a third, and finally a fourth. Thus, in total silence, all four tuning forks rang softly. Today’s meeting reminded me of this lesson. My soul is high-pitched.”

That science class experience can help us today to bring God’s love and peace to our hearts. The Eucharist is the heart of the Church. Here we experience God’s presence and love. Maybe we have tried so many times to change this world, family, ourselves. Perhaps we need to experience the love and peace that come from God. Strengthened by Him and relying only on Him, we can bring this peace into our daily lives. After meeting Christ during the Holy Mass, my soul needs to ‘pick up His sounds and resonate with His tone.’
Have a blessed week. Fr. Chris