Love your neighbor

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Today, the Gospel speaks to our hearts in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Today is the day of our salvation; do we plan on doing good deeds today, with love, from our hearts; if not today, when? Today is the day to reach out and love your neighbor; today is the day of our salvation.
 
“And who is my neighbor?” might be a good question to ask those who call for deporting parents and splitting up families because they are “illegal Samaritans.”

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There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Baltimore to Boston. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A SSPX member happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Tea Party activist came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But an illegal alien traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up into his own car, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
 
Ever read any Gerard Manley Hopkins? We think we love, but how slow and lukewarm our hearts are! How fortunate that salvation depends not on our love, but on God’s. Hopkins seems to have been as naturally curious about other people as anyone alive, but he is honest about how far this love of neighbor takes him: not far.

The poem is called The Lantern Out of Doors. Anthony Esolen provides an interpretation. A very realistic portrayal of the human condition and love of neighbor. You can find it here:

payingattentiontothesky.com/2010/07/08/poem-the-lantern-out-of-doors-by-gerard-manley-hopkins/

dj
 
Stylites said:
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Baltimore to Boston. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A SSPX member happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Tea Party activist came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But an illegal alien traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up into his own car, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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Why would someone change the word of God as found in the Holy Scripture in order to promote his politics and cast dispersions on others? :mad:
 
MtnDwellar said:
Why would someone change the word of God as found in the Holy Scripture in order to promote his politics and cast dispersions on others? :mad:
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I happen to agree with a lot of what the Tea Party stands for, and I salute any traditionalist brethren, so dispersions (or even aspersions) were not on my mind.

The malady of a lack of charity towards one’s neighbors requires strong medicine. Cruelly and mercilessly calling for the deportation of peaceful parents and the splitting up of families is a spiritual sickness, not politics.

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Stylites said:
I happen to agree with a lot of what the Tea Party stands for, and I salute any traditionalist brethren, so dispersions (or even aspersions) were not on my mind.

The malady of a lack of charity towards one’s neighbors requires strong medicine. Cruelly and mercilessly calling for the deportation of peaceful parents and the splitting up of families is a spiritual sickness, not politics.

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I guess that you were not casting different colors of light on groups of people.:o

I resent people changing God’s word to suit their particular agenda, whether it is regarding politics or spiritual sickness. The Bible is sacred. The words are from God.
 
MtnDwellar said:
I resent people changing God’s word to suit their particular agenda, whether it is regarding politics or spiritual sickness. The Bible is sacred. The words are from God.
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What is more beneficial to the soul? Scripture? Or doing what Scripture requires? The pharisees, who resented Jesus, followed the letter of the Law, and denied it’s spirit.

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Stylites said:
“And who is my neighbor?” might be a good question to ask those who call for deporting parents and splitting up families because they are “illegal Samaritans.”

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if people cared abaout their children would they cross into a foreign country with them illegally???

i would think parents should teach their children to obey laws…
 
Stylites said:
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Baltimore to Boston. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A SSPX member happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Tea Party activist came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But an illegal alien traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up into his own car, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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gee… how PC sounding

must have been written by an illegal alien…
 
Stylites said:
What is more beneficial to the soul? Scripture? Or doing what Scripture requires? The pharisees, who resented Jesus, followed the letter of the Law, and denied it’s spirit.

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Your question is irrelevant. We do not have to choose between Scripture or doing what Scripture requires. Can’t we follow the Scripture without also debasing it?

So, why don’t we love our neighbors and also NOT mess with the words of God.
 
distracted said:
if people cared abaout their children would they cross into a foreign country with them illegally???

i would think parents should teach their children to obey laws…
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The question of illegal immigration was not on my mind when I posted this thread. This is a very complex situation that we now find our selves in. I love the Mexican people, and must interact with them almost on a daily basis in my line of work. I do not believe however in illegal’s crossing our borders, not only are good hearted decent people crossing over but many that seek to do us harm. That being said, I would like to pose a question: If you were a hard working, decent person of any nationality and you saw the land of opportunity with its gates wide open for you; would you cross over illegally?
 
tonyg said:
The question of illegal immigration was not on my mind when I posted this thread. . . .
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Yes tonyg, but your post regarding Sunday’s Gospel reading from Luke is very appropriate toward this issue, seeing that the neighboring Samaritans were despised by the pious Jews. Jesus points out that charity, the love of neighbor for the sake of God, gains us heaven, and shows us how even those most despised by us can provide us needed succor and teach us spiritual truths. “And who is my neighbor?” speaks to us of this issue, which many can benefit from.

Then there are those who are so sure of their deserved place in heaven that they can act mercilessly toward their neighbors.

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Christ certainly taught us to love our neighbors. He also taught us to obey civil laws. I believe that we are showing love to those illegals who we deport. They committed a crime by entering the country illegally. Are we going to punish them for that? No! We are merely going to send them back to their country of origin and welcome them back again, should they decide to enter legally. That shows a great Christian quality of forgiveness.

No country allows for undocumented immigration. Immigration laws are necessary to insure the health and prosperity of a nation. If people enter the country illegally, they are threatening the fabric of our nation.
 
Okay, got it. Deporting parents and splitting up families is a great act of charity. Someone needs to teach the Church about this sort of charity, as the Bishops condemn the deportation of peaceful people.

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Stylites said:
Okay, got it. Deporting parents and splitting up families is a great act of charity. Someone needs to teach the Church about this sort of charity, as the Bishops condemn the deportation of peaceful people.

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Which bishops have said what? Please site a reference.

I agree with this published statement regarding the Church’s stand:

In an open letter, Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, archbishop of Cincinnati, outlined the Catholic church’s controversial view on the issue.

The Wednesday, June 16, letter states the church must respect national borders and laws, but “the Catholic Church also teaches that all human beings have a right to migrate.”

The letter is critical of the current immigration system, saying there are too few paths to legal citizenship and those who are here illegally are left “living in fear, hiding in the shadows.”

Does Stylite live in a border town in Arizona or Texas? Tell the law abiding citizenry of those towns that they are breaking up families and listen to what they have to say. Ask if they feel guilty about imposing an “unjust” penalty on criminals. The punishment for the crime is more than fair.

Also, your use of sarcasm and your manipulation of Holy Scripture by changing the words of God do not help your argument. These actions are very telling.
 
MtnDwellar said:
Does Stylite live in a border town in Arizona or Texas? Tell the law abiding citizenry of those towns that they are breaking up families and listen to what they have to say. Ask if they feel guilty about imposing an “unjust” penalty on criminals. The punishment for the crime is more than fair.
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If our immigration laws were rational, these border towns wouldn’t be inundated with undocumented workers. But no one wants to fault Pelosi and Franks or the other little Caesars for purposely limiting the number of visas. It’s easier to gripe about “criminals” then it is to gripe about Caesar fostering the “crime” in the first place.

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Stylites said:
If our immigration laws were rational, these border towns wouldn’t be inundated with undocumented workers. But no one wants to fault Pelosi and Franks or the other little Caesars for purposely limiting the number of visas. It’s easier to gripe about “criminals” then it is to gripe about Caesar fostering the “crime” in the first place.

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Which bishops said what? Please give a reference.

Yes, I agree, the immigration laws need fixing. We have been lax with enforcement for the last 30 years. Now that we want to start enforcing the laws I am not surprised that some people get angry. Nevertheless, it has to be done.
 
MtnDwellar said:
Which bishops said what? Please give a reference.

Yes, I agree, the immigration laws need fixing. We have been lax with enforcement for the last 30 years. Now that we want to start enforcing the laws I am not surprised that some people get angry. Nevertheless, it has to be done.
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Yes, I agree with you that amnesty for peaceful immigrants is in full measure consistent with Church teachings on love of neighbor, and that a person cannot serve two masters: Caesar and Jesus.

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