I RECENTLY rewrote the story of the Good Samaritan.
The Samaritan saw the broken stranger by the roadside. He approached the carnage, observed, went away and came back with a large white board and some charcoal for writing.
The Samaritan fixed the board close to the stranger and wrote: ‘This man is a stranger, not one of us. He is from another place. Please, if you are of his race, his place, his tradition, please will you help him?’
It’s hardly a version of the story that’s going to change the world.
You will be surprised that my inspiration came from the Newry Parish Bulletin.
The announcement said: “There will be a collection at the Polish Mass for the victims of flooding in Poland.”
I am of the determined belief that, on the day, the proceeds of the general collection at all the Sunday Masses should have been handed over to the Polish victims. Good Samaritan back on track!
Instead we segregated our Polish neighbours and walked on by their place of need. Their people, their collection, their help.
We have the uncanny ability to, quite unnecessarily, make rods with which to beat our backs.
The twisted man sits on the ground at the entrance to St. Catherine’s. He is not driven away, he begs and he gets some money. People greet him.
The Madonna and Baby sit on the steps. No-one drives them away, she begs and she gets some money. People greet her.
The worry though, is that they constitute a health and safety risk; the lay man comments that someone could trip over them and be injured. So, he muses, they should be asked to leave.
I recall that Jesus never had insurance indemnification when He carried out His loving work.
So, offer the mother and child a chair, the old man too, and thus the health and safety issues are taken care of.
Theirs is a sacramental presence in God’s world.
I cannot recall any bad beggars in the Bible. Can you?
Taxmen, people in suits, bishops and members of the Sanhedrim, yes but beggars no.
Smelly beggars, maybe, unpleasingto-the-eye beggars, yes, but bad beggars, no.
The Sioux Indians had it right; one must walk in the moccasins of the other man before one can say he is wrong.
I pray that one day I will endure the hardship of being a beggar and thus I will grow.
Oh yes and did you know…the £200 taken on a good Sunday on those same steps, is handed out to needy people in Newry by the time of the setting sun on the Monday.
God is good. He gives us so many opportunities to love.