17 MILES

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 27^th Monday in Ordinary Time is, “17 Miles.”

Sometimes it takes a long time - like a journey of 17 miles - before we finally understand something that can be explained in less than 2 minutes.

The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho is 17 miles.

THE JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM

It’s the year 2000. We’re in Israel. We’re in a bus heading for Jerusalem. I’m with a good priest friend of mine and about 20 other priests. The tour guide / retreat master, Father Stephen Doyle,  says over the bus loudspeaker, “We’re going to take the ancient road from Jericho up to Jerusalem - that is - unless we get a bad weather report - which could happen. We’re not sure yet.”

It was January - and when I heard that comment, I went inside myself and said, “Uh oh, oh no! No. No.”

I didn’t realize till that moment - till that comment - till that trip on that road - even if it was in a bus - that I was hoping to make that trip sometime in my lifetime. It was the road from Jerusalem to Jericho that we heard in today’s gospel - in the story of the Good Samaritan [Luke 10: 25-37] - but we would be doing it in reverse.

Father Stephen Doyle said that it was a very close road - with very high sides - and if it rains while we’re in that small valley of a road - it floods and is very dangerous.

The other road to Jerusalem was a major highway - the easier way. I rejoiced when it was announced we were going to take the harder road: the road from Jericho to Jerusalem.

I had a window seat, so I could see how dangerous a road it could be - not just in bad weather - but if you walked it - from robbers.

Some sections had very little shoulder - and 14 foot high cliffs or edges on both sides of the road. It would be easy for robbers to jump off the edges on either side and rob the traveler if they were on foot.

Father Stephen Doyle read for us over the bus’ loud speaker today’s gospel, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.”

We heard the words: He was beaten, robbed, left half dead. A priest went down that road and walked right by the wounded man. A Levite did the same. These stories often have 3’s. The third man was a Samaritan - making that same journey with his pack animal. He stopped. He poured oil and wine on the man’s sores and bandaged them. He put him on his animal and brought the man to an inn. He told the innkeeper to care for the man. He gave money for the inn and the care and told him if it costs any more, I’ll repay you on my way back.

ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST SHORT STORIES

There it is - one of the worlds most important stories. It can take a minute in the telling. It’s very easy to memorize. If you add the back-story it takes less than two minutes. And the back-story is essential to the story. Luke indicates that the scholar of the law gets the story - gets the answers to the questions he asks. Now whether he really got it - God only knows.

Do I get it? Do I put the Good Samaritan story into practice?

Sometimes it takes 17 years - 17 miles - 17 bypasses of those in need - before we get this story that Jesus gifted us with.

The Levite and the priest - were following the rules - the Law.

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The Law quoted here in our text  - Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 are only about 29 words in English, 33 words in Greek, and 15 words in Hebrew. I counted them up last night - but I wasn’t too sure about the Hebrew.

We know the words by heart. The call is to translate them from any language into action.

THE MESSAGE - THE QUESTION

How many miles - how many hurts - injuries - problems - falls - denials - how many people in need do we have to pass by before we get the story?

How many years does it take - 17 or 37 or 77 - before we realize this story contains the meaning of life?

FIRST READING - FROM PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS

Today’s first reading is from Galatians. We have this Letter from Paul for our first reading every day this week and into next week.

I noticed that because my favorite text in the Bible is in Paul’s Letter to the Galatians - Galatians 6:2.

Bummer.  We get a lot of Galatians - but our Lectionary does not give us Galatians 6: 2 this week or next.

To me, since it’s my favorite text, I believe it’s the most important message for the world - for the church. It’s the message of today’s Good Samaritan story.

Here it is. Paul says in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens and in this way you’ll fulfill the Law of Christ.”

What’s your favorite Bible text? If you don’t have one, you can plagiarize mine.

CONCLUSION

I’ve traveled my 17 miles. I’ve reached the age of 72 and I think this is the Law for Life - to stop to help each other carry the burdens of life.

I think Pedestal Catholics fail on this over and over and over again.  Priests, Levites, bishops, cardinals and popes have walked by those in need - walked by those who are hurting over and over and over again. I know I have.

Thank God the Good Samaritans of the world stop to help from time to time the abused, the hurting, the poor, the divorced, the broken, the lonely, the war torn and ripped, the rejected, the abandoned, those whom nobody visits in prisons or nursing homes, the families of those with AIDS etc. etc. etc.

I also understand that people don’t seem to get this message till they are hurting - till they have been beaten up - till after they have a divorce, an abortion, a gay person in their family, an alcoholic, a drug addict, someone with HIV, those with cancer or what have you in their family,  then after traveling those 17 miles - they sometimes get it. Praise God.

OOOOOO

Painting on top: Echo of a Scream [1937] by David Alfaro Siqueiros, Duco on Wood, 48 X 36", The Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of Edward M.M. Warburg