WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?
The parable of "the good Samaritan"(Luke.10,30-37) is Jesus' answer to this question. Jesus tells us that every human being is our neighbor. Jesus wants us to be attentive to their needs, to their sufferings, even at a cost of personal sacrifice. Only if we fulfill these conditions, we can claim to be disciples of Jesus, the divine Samaritan.
The parable of the "good Samaritan" constantly challenges us and stimulates us to become neighbor to those who are in need. Without distinction of race, social status, or religious affiliation.
Our "Neighbor" may have many different faces. It can be the helpless squatter looking for a permanent dwelling, the drug addict, the unemployed, the lonely old folk, the sick, and so on. Many times people will cast on them a look of commiseration and stride on without stopping for a minute, afraid to get involved with people that may tarnish their image in the "good society", just as the Priest and the Levite of the parable of the "good Samaritan" did. They saw the poor man who had been victimized by the robbers, but did not take care of him. "They passed by" Everyone in need of help is "my neighbor which of these three (the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan), in thy opinion, proved himself neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?" The teacher of the law, the one who asked Jesus "Who is my neighbor"?, answered, "the one who took pity on him". And Jesus said to him, "you go, then, and do the same".
The disciples of Christ are supposed to become the neighbor to all who need their help.
We should never forget what Jesus will say in the "final judgment" to those who become neighbor to those who are in need of help: "When I was hungry, you gave me food; when thirsty, you gave me to drink; when I was a stranger you took me into your home; when naked you clothed me; when I was sick you came to my help; when in prison you visited me. anything you did for one of my brothers here, however humble, you did it for me."
Fr.Cipriano Bontacchio