How can I enter heaven?
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2019 16:30:30 +0000
WOMAN was badly injured in an accident. A man came to the scene but had difficulty getting answers to his questions about her condition.
The Good Samaritan called up an ambulance on his cell phone, saying, “A woman has been injured. She’s about 38 and appears to be in pain.” Whereupon the woman looked up angry and snapped: “Stupid, I’m 30!” This shows that it’s not easy to be a Good Samaritan.
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Anyway, the man in the above story exemplified the Good Samaritan about whom Christ extols in this 15th Sunday’s gospel (cf. Lk 10, 25-37).
The parable teaches that EVERYONE in need is our neighbor. It is not just the people we live with or live next door, a friend or a countryman.
It’s noteworthy that the Jews hated the Samaritans who regarded them as heretics, traitors, worthless scum incapable of doing good.
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But in today’s gospel, Christ who was a Jew makes the hated Samaritan the hero which must have sounded outrageous to his countrymen, the religious leaders especially. What Christ highlights is: Love knows no boundaries of creed, color or race.
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“How can I be a neighbor?” We can be a neighbour by reaching out to help those in need depending on the kind of help that’s required. In the case of the Good Samaritan, he assisted by bringing the victim to an inn for further treatment and accommodation which required financial assistance. The assistance could be non-material like a compliment or encouragement to someone who’s heavily weighed down with a problem, visiting the sick or a grieving family.
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For those in the government, being a Good Samaritan could mean crafting laws and implementing projects that would improve the living condition of the people and alleviate their sufferings.
Doing charity is not easy.
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One time a lady came to me importuning for help because her young daughter was allegedly dying at Philippine General Hospital. She needed money very badly or her daughter would die. I was moved by her plight and tearful persistence so I handed her quite an amount. Later I was told by some neighbors that she was just making a story, that there was no dying child; that she was a con artist.
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I felt so bad and consoled myself, saying, “If she was a con artist, let the money served as a talent fee!”
Being charitable, even if you get duped, is more meritorious than being a close-fisted miser. However, we should not allow ourselves to be victimized by crooks and swindlers.
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Note that Jesus’ teaching about the Good Samaritan is very similar to his parable of the Last Judgment. Both parables teach that the main requirement for entering heaven is our works of mercy and charity.
“What must I do to gain eternal life?” There are people who are afraid of death or meeting the Lord after death. There’s absolutely no need to be afraid if they have done works of mercy while they are still in this world.
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SICK INDIGENTS. Be a Good Samaritan. Help some indigent sick we’re supporting, like Dante C. suffering from renal failure, five-year-old leukemia patient Alison L., Rosanna C., M. Maranga, Jacky L.
Contribute an amount to buy medicines and pay their medical treatments. Your help may save the lives of these poor people.
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GOD BLESS – the following latest donors: Anonymous CHINESE-FILIPINO DONOR, GERRY “MR. FREEZE” SANTOS, GREG JR.-TEK SAUCO, WILLY-LINA ONG, EFREN SANTOS.
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Others who wish to help may e-mail me at: belsvd@gmail.com
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FAMILY TV MASS – is aired on 5PLUS Channel 59 at 6-7 a.m. every Sunday and at YouTube on “The Filipino Catholic” at 8 a.m.; also on international GMA Pinoy TV. Sponsor: MT. CARMEL PARISH, STA. MARIA BULACAN. Mass celebrant: Fr. Egai de Jesus.
The FAMILY that prays together stays together.