Jesus said; do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go
rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We know very well, in other verses before
Jesus’ ascension into heaven he says; Go and make all disciples of all Nations.
I found it contradictory. Samaritans are
not exception; they are part of the nations.
The Samaritans are not the Jews. Who will be a prophet among the
Samaritans? Samaritan woman met Jesus in the well. She was the first among Samaritans who recognized
Jesus as Messiah after Jesus revealed himself to her. She became a prophet for
her own people.
Jesus has many followers. Among
them he chooses only the twelve disciples. As humans, the chosen felt “better”
than the others but Jesus reminds them not to be involved in all. In other words
Jesus reminded them not to judge others. It is better to go to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.
This has deep meaning for me. As
a young sister newly professed, I feel “better” than others. I know and I can
do many things. I am work faster. I am
an observer. I am assertive. I am generous. I am creative. I am a daring
person. I am confident. I am a strong person and finally……………. I am proud of
myself!
In today’s Gospel Jesus remind me how not to be proud with all that he
gives to me, rather more humbly look my “sheep”. One of the authors says; we
live the way we pray, and we pray the way we live. I felt ashamed. When I
realized, my prayer is far away with what I live. Probably, Jesus saw at the
character in the twelve. They can do either proud or humble. Every one of us
has the tendency to be proud or to be humble. Humility is not guaranteed if we
are praying everyday; the important is how we really lift up our hearts to God.
How we relate our prayer with our way of life? True prayer penetrates
and transforms the totality of our life but in God’s time. Everything is
possible, when God’s time come. So who are the Samaritans? And who is the
sheep? The Samaritans are my neighbors. The
sheep is my own being. I do believe, Jesus will reveal in me as he revealed to
others.
bykristprast
