In 1967, St. Paul VI declared January 1st to be a World Day of Peace, to let this day be a starting place for conversation, collaboration and action towards change. Peace is something that we as Christians are called to strive towards in our daily actions and in all of our spheres of influence – work, home, school, church, volunteering, neighborhoods and within our families. The peace and fraternity we are called to challenges us to see beyond these areas and embrace the broadest definition of ‘our neighbor’ to encompass the marginalized and the poor.
In Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti or On Fraternity and Social Friendship, he recounts the story of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37). At times we may feel as though we have read it dozens of times, yet there is still great wisdom to be found. For instance, the Good Samaritan gave not just his money, but more importantly his time and attention (63). That we all have in ourselves “something of the wounded man… the robber… the passerby… and the Good Samaritan” (69), let this stir us to examine ourselves. Lastly, it is a co-responsibility we have to care for others, to discover the goodness within every human heart and we are not called to do this work alone – the Samaritan had the inn-keeper (78).
Pray: Lord Jesus, You teach us in your parable that there are two kinds of people—those who bend down to help and those who look the other way. Which kind of people will we be?
We say, “Yes, Lord, I will love you and love my neighbor.” But then we ask: The migrant… is she my neighbor? Those in poverty…are they my neighbors? Victims of war across the world… are they neighbors? One who faces racism… is he my neighbor? Those disabled or elderly… are they my neighbors?
You remind us: Yes. All of us are neighbors.
Show us how to love, Lord. May we open our eyes. May we emerge from our comfortable isolation. May we build a world of compassion and dignity. Lord Jesus, who was neighbor to all, Help us to persevere in love. Help us to restore dignity to the suffering. Help us to build a society based not on exclusion, but on community.
Amen.
(USCCB, 2021)
