My thoughts on the Parable of the Good Samaritan

My theological training is shaped by see-judge-act pattern of theologizing. See- Judge-Act is asking us to see or review concrete situations, form judgement  in the light of a guiding principle (the Gospel values) and thirdly,  decides what in the circumstances can and should be done to the situation based on the guiding principles. See-Judge-Act does not only engages us to think rather to act on a concrete situation using the values of the Gospel.

Reading through the parable of the Good Samaritan, I could see that the emphasis of the story is not only on helping us determine whom we are to view as our neighbour and to whom we are to show our love, rather it teaches us how to concretely respond to the situation with compassion. Seeing through the responses of the priest, levite and the Samaritan, we could see that the samaritan response show this three fold aspect of theologising by seeing ("he saw him") ,  "moved with pity" and he took action to express his compassion and assist the injured man. The sequence of seeing, having compassion and acting is common in the gospel. In Luke's Gospel, when Jesus saw the "woman weeping at the death of her only son, he had compassion for her and brought her son to life" ( Lk. 7:13) This is likewise seen in the story of the Prodigal son in Luke 15:20, when the father "saw" his son from afar…..he had compassion for him. And he ran and embraced him."  

The parable of the good Samaritan then encourages us to act with compassion on the people especially those who are in need, those that need care and those who forgiveness. The call to love God and to love others as we love ourselves is not only a law that written in the Bible or this is thought in our catechism classes, rather this is a law that is written in our hearts. It is a law that is part of our being human and as sons and daughters of God.  that is why i don't see any reason why are we cannot fulfil this law.