In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus of Nazareth spoke in response to a question by a lawyer, 'And who is my neighbour' (Luke 10:29-37), Jesus revealed the heart of that parable : Samaritan who saw a wounded person lying on the road side, 'felt compassion towards him'.
That was the substance or the core of the inner self of the Samaritan !
When I noticed the flowers above, what caught my attention was the yellowish radiance in the centre of each flower! That is a distinguishing feature of these flowers. And yet it remains partially hidden. The outer petals look bright and rich. But the core of that flower is that radiant colourfulness in the centre of the flower.
What resided in the interior of the life of that Samaritan was compassion! He was a soulful person, open to feel touched by the needs of others!
The way Jesus described the outworking of that compassionate spirit is worth recalling: " ....He felt compassion and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them, and he put on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him..." (v33-35).
That was the soulful language of compassion! Such a self giving action originated within his feeling soul!
It is graceful to be remembered for one's acts of compassion and not so much for performance or achievements or public profile!
The Samaritans were not very kindly thought about by the Jews of that time. The Jews viewed them as aliens, strangers and gentiles! This Samaritan although was travelling though a hostile territory of people who distanced themselves from the Samaritans, overcame inhibition and rejection to become present to a wounded person !
The Samaritan was inclusive in thinking and self-giving in action.
I was waiting to hear a mindful recollection of those who suffer on account of war, violence, flood, fire, earthquake and unemployment in different parts of the world, in the independence day speech of the prime minister of India from the Red Fort in New Delhi. I wish there was an expression of concern and sympathy! That was missing!
We become academic, sterile and preoccupied with self, when the soulfulness of compassion is missing at the core of our being!
At the heart of the flowers above, is the interior radiance which makes the flowers graceful! A flower is a gift of nature, which it gives us all the time. Every flower is an invitation to humankind to be giving!
Jesus closed the parable with a dialogue with the lawyer who asked Jesus a question: Who is my neighbour?. The lawyer said to Jesus, that the neighbour was : The one who showed mercy toward the wounded man.
This brings yet another dimension to this parable. In the Sermon on the Mount as recorded in the gospel of Mathew 5, Jesus said, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy" (v7).
A man with a compassionate spirit is merciful ! That is a call for being and becoming !
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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