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The journey from Jerusalem
to Jericho
The parable of the Good Samaritan is well known (Luke 10,
29-37). The former Head of the Dominicans, Timothy Radcliffe,
is renewing this story in his book " Let your joy be
perfect" (Cerf, Ed., 2002). He is proposing that it
raises the problem of one's own identity. For some the journey
from Jerusalem to Jericho means transformations of their identity
and for others, keeping attached to their identity, are unable
to become the neighbor of the attacked traveler.
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Jesus began by transforming the question raised by the scribe
"Who is my neighbor" by "Who has been
the neighbor of the wounded man?" |
In doing this he is insisting on the new established relationship
between the traveler and the Samaritan. The traveler who was
attacked by the robbers is not given any identity "A
certain man" On the contrary those who cross his path
are well described, two by their function at the Temple, a priest
and a Levite, they are orthodox Jews, the third one is described
by his citizenship, a Samaritan, usually known as an heretic
and schismatic person. For the first two, the physical contact
with blood and with a corpse (it is said that the man was lying
half dead) will have made them impure for the service of the
Temple where a ritual purity is required. Their attachment to
their identity makes them unable to be the neighbor of the wounded
man. They are missing an opportunity to be human.
When Jesus asks which of the three proved to be a neighbor
to the man who fell into robbers' hands, the scribe does not
name: "The Samaritan", but says "the
neighbor is the one who showed mercy toward him". Thus,
the Samaritan loses the negative image he had in the eyes of
the Jews. He becomes a new man, merciful. The wounded man himself,
with no identity, can be identified to anyone in need and requiring
assistance. He is no more an anonymous bypasser, seen as a menace,
but he is perceived as a vulnerable person toward who we can
show compassion and concern.
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In these changing times of ours, there are many who wonder
about their identity. Often this calling into question causes
tension about the identity received, without which we don't exist.
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The other, the stranger, the person who is different appears
as a menace from which we must protect ourselves. On the other
hand, others accept to be transformed by an unespected meeting
and this change is not an impoverishment, but an enrichment of
their identity. One's identity is shaped not only by external
causes, it is also formed by the choices we make.
Is the meaning of this parable not going further in putting
into play even the identity of God's identity?
Indeed can it not be said that God himself has not hesitated
to change his identity to wait for us in a deprived and broken
up form lying on the side of the road. |
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