July 14 // 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading I: Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Responsorial Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
or Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Reading II: Colossians 1:15-20
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

The twenty of us in our Muslim Christian dialogues accepted the Islamic Center’s invitation to a gathering initiated by a 15 year old classmate of my granddaughter. Samirha led “From Strangers to Neighbors” welcoming 400 attendees, warmly. Samirha introduced a pantomime skit where six people wore signs identifying themselves as “Strangers.” One woman was obviously pregnant and pantomimed going into labor. The others helped her. And they all turned their signs from “Stranger” to “Neighbor.” Samirha introduced the actors who each told of a different homeland, why they left and what they have found here. Each immigrant or refugee or asylum seeker was once a stranger. Samirha then invited us all to sample tasty foods from Iraq, Syria, Bosnia, and other countries at tables lining the walls. Because of a 15 year old’s compassionate wisdom, we are now all neighbors.

Jesus told a story we know and love in response to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The Good Samaritan awakened a consciousness among Jesus’ first hearers of the story that not all Samaritans are bad. He even pointed out, graphically, that some of them are more loving, compassionate, helpful, thoughtful and better citizens than some of our own people including priests and those from our best families who crossed the street rather than help a wounded victim!

In Jesus’ name our neighborliness counters fears and can transform the harm done by words and action taken against any and all maligned peoples.

Deni Mack, D. Min
Pastoral Associate