Be the One Who Stops

The Gospel readings these few weeks guide us step by step into what it really means to follow Christ.

Last Sunday, Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs. He told them to heal, to bring peace, and to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near. It was a call to go beyond comfort and into mission.

This week, Jesus shows us what that mission looks like. It looks like love that acts (Luke 10:25 to 37).

And next week, when we hear about Martha and Mary, we will be reminded that this kind of love must be grounded in prayer. That we cannot serve well unless we have first sat at His feet.

So across these three Sundays, Jesus teaches us something beautiful. He sends us out. He shows us how to love. And He calls us to stay close to Him.

In today’s Gospel, Fr Dom reminded us that love is not just a feeling or an idea. Love is a person. And love is what we become when we follow Jesus.

The parable of the Good Samaritan helps us see ourselves more clearly. Each character reflects a different response to suffering.

The bandits saw the man on the road as someone to take from.
They hurt him and left him behind.

Sometimes in our own church life, we can fall into this mindset. We use people for what they can give, not who they are. We focus on what benefits us, forgetting that every person has dignity.

The priest saw the man but walked away.
Maybe he felt it wasn’t his place. Maybe he didn’t want to be disrupted.

In ministry, it is easy to walk past real needs. We say, “It’s not my job,” or “Someone else will help.” But the wounded are all around us. Will we stop?

The Levite knew the law and all the right teachings.
But he also passed by.

We too can know our Scripture, attend Mass, and be involved in everything, yet still be blind to the people right in front of us. If our faith never leads us to act, then something is missing.

The innkeeper did what was asked, but only because he was paid.
He treated the wounded man like a customer.

Sometimes we serve out of duty, not love. We get caught up in routines. We show up, do our part, and move on. But ministry is not meant to be a transaction. It is meant to be a gift.

Then came the Samaritan.
He was the outsider. Not the religious leader. Not the expert.
But he stopped. He saw. He loved.

He used what he had. He took a risk. He gave without expecting anything in return. He went out of his way to make sure the man would recover.

We have all been there.

At times, we have acted like the bandits, putting ourselves first and hurting others along the way.
Other times, we have been like the priest or the Levite, seeing someone in need but choosing to walk past.
Maybe we have served like the innkeeper, doing the bare minimum because it was expected.
And hopefully, we have had moments, even small ones, where we were like the Samaritan, moved by love, willing to stop, to give, and to care.

This is the love Jesus is calling us to live. That’s the heart of true ministry.

So who are we in this story?

Are we the ones who pass by? Or the ones who stop?

In our parishes, in our homes, at work, and in the world, we are surrounded by people in need. Some are hurt, forgotten, or ignored. Some are waiting for someone to notice.

This week, ask yourself:

• Who might be hurting near me, even if they don’t show it?
• Have I been too busy to notice the needs around me?
• Can I love without waiting to be asked or rewarded?

Let’s not just talk about love.
Let’s live it.
Let’s be it.
Wherever we are planted.

Don’t just pass by. Pass on God’s love. (BV)