Homily on the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Last week I was in my garden planting some new flowers that I had purchased. As I was preparing myself I noticed at the end of the street a group of people walking with bags around their shoulder. Of course we all know who they were and what they were doing. Jehovah's witness (JW) doing what they do best...pestering the community.
Therefore, when I noticed them I swiftly ran inside I put on my clerical shirt (Black shirt with white collar) in the hope that it would deter them. Boy was I wrong!
A moment later I heard from across the road - "Hello sir, how are you today? We are here to talk to you about a book called the bible" to which I lifted my beard in silence to reveal the white collar. The gentleman replied - "Oh good!, you know all about it then."
I politely listened to what the man had to say, more so I could get a better understanding about how much that institution had corrupted this man. It was actually quit sad to hear this man preach the heresy of Arianism.
In short Arianism is the heresy from he 4th century invented by an Alexandrian priest called Arius who taught/preached that only God the Father is Divine and that Jesus Christ His Son is only a creation of the Father and not Divine. In addition JW teach that Jesus is the Archangel Michael and because He was a faithful servant of God the Father, He (Jesus) was given the title -"Son of God".
It saddens me greatly to see good, humble and loving people follow such a twisted form of doctrine.
However, laying aside the the heresy's this man was preaching, he was a wonderful man. You could genuinely see that in his own mind he was playing his part in the commandment to love thy neighbour!
I would without reservation go to have beer at the pub with this man on the condition - no talking about religion.
“‘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 Love your neighbour as yourself." Lk 10 :27
It still baffles me that I was treated so kindly by this man however, years ago when I went to receive a blessing from a Greek priest I was treated like a criminal or that I had inconvenienced him that much that he was engulfed by rage.
Here are two examples which have written for us within Holy Scripture. The first one is when Jesus reminds us - "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." Jn 10:16 (The JW man)
And lastly - “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Mt 7:15 (The Greek priest)
In addition, just as the Samaritan went out of his way to help the beaten and robbed man, so too are we to show love towards others. That is why I wasn't rude to the JW man that came preaching to me. I allowed him to talk and then politely said I'm happy were I am thank you, however it was a pleasure talking to you.
Now, I could have had a debate with him and we could have stood in the middle of the footpath say - "I'm right, no I'm right no I'm right" but what for? Or I could have told him to bugger off but again; what for?
Kindness has always been the best policy and even more so; because our Lord and God Jesus Christ tells us it is and commands that we are to live in love and kindness. You catch flies with honey not with vinegar - By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Jn 13:25
In conclusion, we are all frail and are not perfect. There will be times in all our lives where we know we should show love, however for some reason or another we cannot bring ourselves to do so.
When we are young and need help with situations we turn to our mums. She will always give us the tools we need to deal with those situations because we are the centre of her universe.
Thus, when we struggle to show love, compassion, mercy or kindness towards another, let us go to our Mother Mariam Theotokos. She showed us one of the greatest acts of love in allowing Her baby boy to be treated like a punching bag, beaten to the brink of death and ultimately dying on the wood of the cross; all because she headed Her Son's commandment to love! She knew in allowing Her Son to endure these horrors, those who believed and followed Him would not die!
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Through the prayers of the Theotokos, Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on us Amen
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