A student
took the boat from Iligan to study in Cebu," the preacher told
the students. "Soon after the boat pulled out from the shore
she found
that her bag with her money and all of her belongings were gone. Obviously,
some one had stolen them and taken them ashore at the very moment
they were leaving. She felt totally abandoned and powerless and began
to cry. After some time a politician came along. When he heard her
story he said that what happened was a disgrace and he would advise
the owner of the shipping line to place more security guards to protect
the passengers. A priest also heard about what happened and told her
that it was indeed terrible how people now-a-days have no respect
for honesty. He promised to pray for her.
All
this time there was a Muslim chewing betle nut on a cot nearby. After
a while he came over and offered her some of his food. Before they
reached Cebu he said to her. "I know you will find it difficult
to get to your relatives' place on arrival in Cebu. Please take this
P100.00 to use for your fare when you get there." Then the preacher
asked the students, "which of these three - the politician, the
priest or the Muslim - was a Christian?" To this the students
shouted back, "The Muslim, of course." Then they seemed
shocked at what they themselves had said.
(Unfortunately,
In most parts of the Christian Philippines the word Muslim is used
sometimes to indicate unbecoming behavior. The opposite happens in
Muslim areas. A friend of mine asked a Muslim family to care for his
motorbike. "It will be quite safe here," they told him "There
are no Christians in this place!" We have not yet learned an
essential law of religious dialogue. Compare ideals with ideals and
practice with practice. If we compare Christian ideals with the ideals
of Muslims we will find a lot in common… If we compare Christian
practice with Muslim practice we will all have much to be ashamed
of. But compare Christian ideals with Muslim practice or Muslim ideals
with Christian practice and you literally start a Holy War.)
The
story of the Good Samaritan we read today in the Gospel tells us that
true love cuts across all racial and cultural prejudice. The Samaritans
were a despised people in those days. Jesus cuts through this prejudice
by making the Samaritan the hero of his story. He even goes farther.
He identifies himself with the Samaritan. The way you treat the Samaritan
becomes the way that you treat him, Christ.
A
lonely traveler makes his way along the road from Jerusalem to Jerico.
A band of robbers strip him and leave him half dead. A priest passes
by but decides that he cannot delay to help the man. A levite, another
religious official, notices the beaten up body but also continues
on his way. Perhaps both are afraid of becoming ritually defiled by
coming in contact with a corpse or human blood. Their response is
one that comes directly from the ego. What will happen to me if I
get involved?
The
response of the one who has outgrown his ego comes from the most unlikely
source, the despised Samaritan. His response comes from the question:
what will happen to this man if I do not help? He immediately offers
aid first to the man and puts him up in the inn. He helps and pays
the cost.
The
lack of response that came from the selfish self was a lack of response
to Christ himself. The response that came from the selfless self of
the Samaritan was a model for all of us of relationship to self, others
and God. He was able to put the welfare of the other before possible
danger to himself and in this way truly relate to God.
Unfortunately
much of our prayer is more concerned about what we can get from God
and others than about what we can give. Christian meditation is a
way of leaving self behind. In this form of prayer there is a total
openness to reality; a reality with God, who calls us to transcend
self, at its core.
