JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Connection, today’s Encounter with Jesus examines the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Jesus told this Parable to an expert in the Law who recited the greatest commandments of the Bible to Jesus. One of those commands is to love your neighbor as yourself. The expert in the law asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

That is when Jesus told the story of a man going from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell into the hands of robbers and was beaten badly. Three men traveled on the same road and noticed the man. The two religious leaders who saw him passed by him on the other side of the road. But a Samaritan man, a foreigner, responded differently. He moved toward the injured man, bandaged his wounds and took care of him.

After telling the story, Jesus asked the expert in the law, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.”

A daily connection with Christ will move us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com