And who is my neighbor?

Some thoughts on the occasion of tragedy:

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

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I am an academic, a professional intellectual. I make my living in my mind. I find it second nature to theorize, to think abstract theology and metaphysics. I draw careful distinctions, define my terms, argue for my claims. I am, after all, a philosopher.

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So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

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Of course my Christian intellectual convictions permeate my intellectual life. I like to think that I *understand* my faith, because I am constantly thinking about it, reading about it and defending it to the best of my intellectual ability. But if I were honest with myself, I would admit that while I can often answer rightly, doing is a bit more of a challenge. I really do prefer to intellectualize. It’s easy, and requires little of me that I don’t already enjoy.

Take fasting, for example. I *understand* the purpose: to purify the passions. I readily assent to its importance in the quest for holiness, for union with God. And yet I do not fast as I could. Sure I can use having young children as an excuse; everyone nods their heading sympathetically. And yet, I *can* do it.

Or tithing. I *understand* the purpose: to help those in need, and to combat greed and materialism in my own soul. I readily assent to its importance. And yet we have not given as we could for a long time. Sure I can use our challenging financial situation as an excuse; it really is hard to raise a family on one income these days, isn’t it? And yet, we *can* do it.

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But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

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Tonight the body of my neighbor was found. He had taken his life a week ago, and no one knew for a week.

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Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

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I did not know him. We exchanged pleasantries occasionally. Once he warned me not to park on my side of the street that day since it was cleaning day and I would almost certainly get a parking ticket. Other than that, I would see him on his porch just across the street, smoking a cigar alone. I might wave. Sometimes I ignored him.

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Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

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I did not know him. I don’t even remember his name, even though he told me what it was when we met. I only just found out that he and his wife were splitting up. But if I had paused for a moment, I might have seen some signs. He sat on his porch smoking a cigar quite a lot. I never saw him with anyone. He sat, brooding. Even though he owned a remodeling company, he sat on his porch, seemingly every time I came home. But I did not know him, couldn’t even remember his name.

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But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

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I could have stopped for a brief chat. I could have asked him how his day was, asked him how business was during these tough times. I don’t presume to think that I could have saved him, could have prevented this. But such is not always our lot, preventing pain and suffering. We must make do with trying to make the pain and suffering tolerable. Livable.

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So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

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Everyday I see folks in deep need, desperate, if only on the inside. It is not only the obvious pain, but the pain that can be seen with a moment’s reflection. The loneliness, despair, emptiness.

And yet I pass on the other side. I *understand* they are my neighbor. I *know* that Jesus said “inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

And yet I pass on the other side.

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Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

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Lord, enlighten my eyes to see you in every person I meet. Open my lips. Stretch forth my hands. Deal with me not according to my iniquities, but according to Your manifold mercies.

And, Lord, give rest to the soul of Thy servant, my neighbor, in a place of brightness, a place of green pasture, a place of repose, and for his sins, in word or deed or thought, forgive him all: For Thou art a good God and love mankind.