Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "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 10:25
Jesus said, "go and do likewise." We are quick to judge the failure of others, yet we often give ourselves and our institutions a pass. Many of us worry that our world is falling apart and democracy in this country has been damaged. Yet we do not practice what we have been called to. We do not tend to the strangers, the wounded and the outcasts. We walk on the other side, not wanting to sully ourselves or be caught in other peoples' drama. Yet it is where we are called. To the broken, the shunned, the lost in order to do likewise.
Wondrous Creator, who sits with the stranger
who inhabits the broken people and places
help us never to avoid the darkest moments
and make us your people as we serve others.
Savior, give us the strength to go and do likewise.
We are weak and fearful and yet you love us
you have called us despite our weaknesses
sent us despite our blindness and our wanderings
strengthening us as one diverse and beautiful body.
Savior, give us the strength to go and do likewise.
The religious leaders ignored the suffering neighbor
and many leaders do not acknowledge our neighbors
today we can bring your balm and healing to all
or we can build new walls in our fearfulness.
Savior, give us the strength to go and do likewise.
Replace our fears with your boundless love
make us fit to gather all the fragments in one family
Savior, give us the strength to go and do likewise.
You have suffered and died so we might be free
make us free to love without any boundaries.
Savior, give us the strength to go and do likewise.
Oh, Savior, send us where we are afraid to go
and help us to find you among the least of us.
Savior, give us the strength to go and do likewise. Amen.
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