“All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so for them” (Matthew 7:12)
The virtuous and most valuable price a person sacrifice for a love of God and brotherhood, is loving others from the heart as much as oneself and doing whatsoever for others just as oneself. Humans have the tendency of seeking basic need as well as providing their daily bread and fulfilling routines. Yet, we must crave for others vitality indeed for the love of neighbors. Loving from the heart is to desire others welfare, safety, nurture and amity. This is thru sharing our sustenance, attire, grief or fiesta.
We shall mention the story of the good Samaritan in the gospel of Saint Luke. (10:25-37) “Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
In this story, the Samaritan is the resemblance of Lord Jesus Christ. He Who raises the tumbled, Who clothes the bare, reward the deprived, does not forget the downtrodden and resolve their problems, has proven His mercy and unconditional love. Not only this, but has taught us to so as same. He reached us to love our neighbors as He loved us; as He sympathizes to pity others; just as He raised the belittled, abandoned and downtrodden man, treated and healed him, for us to treat the sick, raised the destitute, deprived and downtrodden as well as reach in their hardships just like the good Samaritan.
It is beyond words to express the Lord’s love but is revealed in the lives of His children and upon the cross. He has also taught us to love our neighbors as same. Our Lord has said, “All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so for them. For this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
For we need to eat when hungry, drink when thirsty, be warm in cold season, joy in time of sorrow, determination for our predicaments, be clothed when deprived; we must also be able to consider our bothers hunger as we hunger, thirst as we thirst, clothe when bare, deprived whilst in abundancy and help the poor and destitute. The Lords words “for this is the law and the prophets” are the reminder of one of the ten commandments Arch-Prophet received in Mount of Sinai. “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)
May God’s benevolence be with us, Amen!