Here and Now with Francis 6/20/16 (sin, Christ, faith, Church, compassion, testimony, priests)

The testimony of this sinner has sowed restlessness in the heart of the innkeeper. What happened to this innkeeper the Gospel does not say – and doesn’t even record his name. But surely this man’s curiosity grew, his restlessness has been allowed to grow in his heart.

From the address

Pope Francis, Vatican Radio reports, gave a catechesis on Luke’s gospel passage of the Good Samaritan. There are many characters in this passage, he said, but who qualifies as a neighbour? The robber, the poor man who was left for dead on the road, the priest, the doctor of the law, the lawyer? Or the innkeeper? Perhaps none of these knew how to answer such a question. The priest was in a hurry, like all priests and no doubt he’s looking at his watch and saying to himself that he must celebrate the Mass, or that he’s left the door of the church open and he must close it. The doctor of the law, a practical man, said “But if I meddle in this, tomorrow I must go to court, give my testimony, say what I’ve done, losing two, three days of work … ” Instead, this other person, a sinner, a foreigner who was not, properly speaking, a member of the people of God, finds himself moved: “He had compassion.” And he stopped. All three – the priest, the lawyer and the Samaritan – knew well what to do. And each made their own decision. Pope Francis said, however, that it could be of benefit to think of the situation from the perspective of the innkeeper who remains anonymous. He’s watched all of what has happened and does not understand anything, saying to himself, “But this is crazy! A Samaritan who helps a Jew? It’s crazy! And then, with his own hands he tends wounds and brings him to the hotel and tells me, ‘But you, take care of him, I will pay you if it’s something more.’ But I have never seen this! This is crazy!” And that man, Pope Francis continued, has received the Word of God in testimony. Whose? Of the priest? No, because he didn’t even see the man. The lawyer is the same. The sinner, however: he has compassion. He was not a faithful member of the People of God but he had compassion. And he understood nothing. This, Pope Francis said, is what qualifies as testimony. The testimony of this sinner has sowed restlessness in the heart of the innkeeper. What happened to this innkeeper the Gospel does not say – and doesn’t even record his name. But surely this man’s curiosity grew, his restlessness has been allowed to grow in his heart. Pope Francis asked, “And why do I dwell today on this character, this person?” The testimony, he says, is to live in this way so that others “may see your works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven”, that is, to meet the Father. 
“May God free us from priests who are always in a hurry, like the one who didn’t have time to stop and help the wounded man, perhaps he was rushing to close the church, there’s a timetable to stick to, they have no time to listen and see: they have their own chores to think about. and may he free us from the doctors of the law, like the one who couldn’t stop, maybe he was a lawyer and couldn’t risk missing a day’s work or perhaps one day he hd to go and testify in court…One of those people who present faith in Jesus with mathematical rigidity. may he teach us to pause and may he teach us the wisdom of the Gospel.”  [link]