There are occasions in our lives when we rather look at the other side: 

• A woman was being robbed on a bus. We know that the robber has other companions. We are afraid, hence we just look the other way.
• A group of influential people is doing anomalies in the office. We just keep quiet and just look the other way.
• There is a scandal happening in the family. We don’t want to destroy the family name, thus we just keep quiet and look the other way. 

In one of the most popular Gospel readings, we hear of two persons, two good persons, who saw a man lying on the road half dead, but they would rather look the other way and pass by. Why?

The priest, if he touches a dead person, would be ritually unclean for days and hence cannot perform his function. The levite knew that many people would play dead on the road and when you help them, they rob you instead. 

Then there was a Samaritan, who Jesus praised as a good neighbor. Three things he did:

1. The Samaritan faced his fear. Whenever we see danger, we become scared. Some of us are afraid of blood, some of us have trauma in dealing with the dying, and some of us do not know how to respond in a situation like this, or have the capacity to help. So many fears but the Samaritan overcame them all.
2. The Samaritan was ready. He poured oil and wine on the person and even bandaged the wounds. As if that was not enough, he brought the wounded person to an inn. 
3. The Samaritan truly cared for the person. It was a helping hand that went all the way. It was a giving without counting the cost. Certainly, it was caring from the heart.

May we always remember to ask for forgiveness for the times we just looked the other way or passed by the opposite side or the times we were not a neighbor to others.

We also remember with gratitude, people who reached out to us when we needed the help the most. 

May we continue to be a neighbor to others. Remember whether virtue or vice, it all starts small. As the saying goes:

“Sow a thought, reap an action, sow an action, reap a habit, sow a habit, reap a character, sow a character, reap destiny”.