Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/605



Love of  our  neighbour.  He  who  hopes  to  be  saved  must  love  God with all  his  heart,  and  his  neighbour  as  himself. Of the  love  of  God we shall  speak  in  the  next  chapter:  this  chapter  deals  principally  with the love  of  our  neighbour,  the  qualities  of  which  our  Lord  shows  us  in His  beautiful  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan.

The love  shown  by  the  Samaritan was,  first  of  all,  real,  for  he  felt compassion from  his  heart  for  the  wounded  man,  and  had  a real  sympathy with him  in  his  misfortunes. He stopped  instantly  when  he  perceived the poor  man,  and  went  up  to  him,  whereas  the  priest  and  the  Levite had both  passed  by  regardless  of  his  state. And because  his  love  was real, it  was  practical. He washed  to  help  the  poor  man,  and  did  all  in his  power  to  alleviate  his  sufferings  and  save  his  life; he  interrupted  his journey, tended  the  wounded  man  himself  all  that  day,  and  when  his business called  him  away  for  a few  days,  he  left  him  in  charge  of  the innkeeper, paying  for  his  keep,  and  promising  to  return. Lastly, the love he  showed  was  universal. He knew  that  the  wounded  man  was a Jew, the  enemy  of  his  people; and  he  knew  that  under  similar  circumstances a Jew  would  be  very  unlikely  to  assist  him. All the  same  he took  pity  on  him,  and  forgave  the  enmity  shown  to  the  Samaritans  by the  Jews. In this  poor  man  he  saw  only  a suffering  fellow-creature and a brother,  and  helped  him  as  such.

By this  parable,  therefore,  our  Lord  teaches  us  that  every  man is our  neighbour,  and  that  our  love  ought  to  be  real,  practical  and universal.

The deeper  meaning  of  the  parable. According  to  the  Fathers  of  the Church the  following  deeper  interpretation  can  be  given  to  it. Jesus Himself is  the  Good  Samaritan,  as  proved  by  His  treatment  of  the  robbed and wounded  human  race. Sin and  the  devil  are  the  robbers  who  have despoiled man  of  his  robe  of  innocence  and  all  supernatural  gifts,  and grievously wounded  him  in  his  natural  gifts. Thus man  lay,  weak,  helpless, and half-dead. He still,  it  is  true,  possessed  his  natural  life,  but  he  had lost the  supernatural  life  of  grace,  as  well  as  the  prospect  of  eternal life, and  was  powerless  to  raise  himself  from  the  misery  of  sin  by  any effort of  his  own. Neither priest  nor  Levite,  i.  e.  neither  sacrifice  nor law of  the  Old  Covenant,  could  help  him,  or  heal  his  wounds;  they  only made him  realize  more  fully  his  helpless  condition. Then the  Son  of God,  moved  by  compassion,  came  down  from  heaven  to  help  poor  fallen man, living  at  enmity  with  God. He healed  his  wounds  with  the  wine of His  Most  Precious  Blood  and  the  oil  of  His  grace,  and  took  him to the  inn,  His  Church. When He  left  this  earth  to  return  to  heaven, He gave  to  the  guardians  of  His  Church  the  twofold  treasure  of  His doctrine and  His  grace,  and  ordered  them  to  tend  the  still  weak  man, until He  Himself  came  back  to  reward  every  one  according  to  his