Holy Metropolis of Kythira – Sunday's message

One of the goods of human industriousness is -possibly- fair wealth.

Our Christ, my Christians, reversed the question of the lawyer, who asked to find out who his «neighbour» was. As if he were saying to him: «Don't look. Be thou near».

And describing the model of the offer he said the great parable. And he showed the Samaritan - an outcast to the Jews - caring with love and care.

Apart from the first and urgent, namely the washing and dressing of his wounds, a series of other parts completed the image of the right neighbour: the getting rid of the «own beast» (so that the wounded man could climb into it), the promise of additional payment ’on the morrow«, what else do they testify but the deep care for the »sufferer«?;

And such care could not exist if the Samaritan did not take the place of the dying man. Thus he was able to discern his needs, down to the last detail, and treat them. But none of his readiness to care would have been there if the Good Man of the Parabola had not possessed love.

Our Christ, at the last Supper with His disciples, did not teach human justice, did not make excuses, did not preach rebellious violence. He gave His last commandment: «Love one another». A few hours before the Cross.

(The other difficult unity, He reserved to ask it personally from His Father in the garden of Gethsemane).

And have we forgotten this commandment? Either with hatred, or with antipathy, or with humbleness we behave as if we wanted to reject love. And next to us there are our brothers and sisters who ask for the least: our presence. Even if we don't have the healing powers, even if we can't afford the inn. But let us be ready to reach out. Let's not pretend not to see (even though we can see well).

There are many excuses. Perhaps the Jewish priest was on his way to some «ritual». Perhaps the Levite felt his descent from the sacred race was sufficient. Maybe we have so much to worry about. Most of all for ourselves, most of all for our own.

My Christians, let not others be strangers to us.

Let us not be afraid of exposure to obligations and risks. Let us «risk» love, poor and unworthy imitators of Him... But imitators!...

Rev. P. Mariatos