Almost every day, Pope Francis says or does something that inspires me.
His energy and zeal for the Gospel make me want to get moving. So many friends and family members have told me similar things. We see in Pope Francis a model of what it means to actively live our faith, someone who calls us especially to care deeply for the needs of our sisters and brothers living in poverty.
“…To love God and neighbor is not something abstract, but profoundly concrete: it means seeing in every person the face of the Lord to be served, to serve him concretely,” he said in May.
And then in July, he said, “Even the weakest and most vulnerable, the sick, the old, the unborn and the poor, are masterpieces of God’s creation, made in his own image, destined to live for ever, and deserving of the utmost reverence and respect.”
The quotes go on and on, and so do his actions – like when he washed the feet of youth in a juvenile detention center on Holy Thursday.
Pope Francis’ commitment to reaching out to those who are suffering is not some new idea in our tradition. The requirement for Christians to work for a world that is more just, fair and respectful of all people goes back to the life of Jesus himself.
One of the Gospel passages that shows the biblical roots of Pope Francis’ vision is the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. In the story, a man falls victim to robbers, and after two religious leaders pass him by, a Samaritan man stops to care for him. Here are three thoughts about how the passage should affect our lives and parishes today:
1) This passage sends us out…
I watched a webinar recently with Jack Jezreel, founder of JustFaith Ministries, which offers the best Catholic social teaching formation programs in the world. Jack loves to talk about the two major functions of parishes, which he derives from the ministry of Christ: gathering and sending. Our churches gather people in for liturgy and prayer, education and formation, social events, and more. We often spend most of our time and resources on these gatherings. But parishes are also meant to send us out to live the Gospel mission in the world, especially with and for those who are most vulnerable in society.
We’re not always that great at sending. Jack wonders what it would look like if we spent half our parish budgets, half our buildings, half our time, half our parish staffs on gathering, and precisely half on sending people out.
This story is one of the best examples of “sending-out Scripture.” Jesus gathers his followers and other interested folks, gives a striking example of what it means to love your neighbor, and then tells them to get moving. The last sentence of the passage is, “Go and do likewise.”
2) …to get uncomfortable…
The love Jesus describes in the story is not easy or comfortable. It is inconvenient, dirty, sweaty, expensive, and without immediate reward. And it is exactly this type of love that should characterize Christ’s followers. We have so many examples in our tradition of this type of love: St. Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero, St. Damien of Molokai, more and more.
Jack Jezreel points out that if our churches emphasize sending in the spirit of the Good Samaritan story, people will be compelled to voluntarily displace themselves to spend time with those who are poor and marginalized.
3) …and to look for God in the unlikeliest people and places.
In first-century Palestine, Samaritans and Jews were enemies. For a Jewish audience, the idea of a “Good Samaritan” would’ve been unthinkable. Jesus’ intentional usage of a Samaritan in the story, especially after the willful neglect displayed by the Jewish religious leaders who pass by the beaten man, encourages his followers to overcome prejudices and see the face of God in all people. The radical love and service Jesus calls for breaks down barriers and dismisses nobody.
Interested in learning more about how you can live the Good Samaritan story in your parish? Jack Jezreel is coming to the Diocese of Camden next week for two special events.
“Same Name, Same Mission: St. Francis, Pope Francis, and a Vision for the 21st Century Parish.” Wednesday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m., Catholic Community of Christ Our Light (402 N. Kings Highway, Cherry Hill). Free admission, but a free-will offering will be taken to support JustFaith Ministries.
“Integrating Service and Justice Into Your Faith Formation Programs,” a free workshop for ministry professionals. Thursday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.-12 noon, Church of the Holy Family (226 Hurffville Road, Sewell). Email michael.laskey@camdendiocese.org to register. Intended for DREs, CREs, youth ministers, campus ministers, pastoral associates, and clergy.
Interested in learning how you can get involved in Life & Justice Ministries at your parish or school? Email Mike at michael.laskey@camdendiocese.org
at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen”