Saint Luke 10: 23-27
13th Sunday after Trinity: 11 September Anno Domini 2022
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
The Rabbi addressed His Disciples. The Elder this morning addressing The Lord’s disciples. Sometimes The Christ spoke privately during His ministry as it was all pointing toward fulfillment at Calvary—in the exact due course of time. But now in our Season of Eternal Easter, the Resurrection Land of The Church marching toward glory through the Lenten Lands of life here and now, Jesus speaks publicly. Jesus speaks authoritatively. Jesus speaks total truth.
Do you know just how blessed you are? How unique and fortunate you and your own eyes are? You with arthritis, nerve and muscular diseases, cellular breakdown, blood and lymphatic maladies, emotional wreckage, cognitive decline, pain, anxiety, worry, tears, and guilt, as your daily companions…do you know how blessed you are?
Your eyes, and by your “eyes” God means both your physical eyes in your head, but also your spiritual eyes that can see behind the glimmering celestial curtain that separates the realms of glory (heavenly splendor—angels and archangels) from the Church Militant, your redeemed and sanctified eyes see all that the mighty Prophets, Kings, Old Testament Martyrs, and Patriarchs did not see. You hear with the “eyes” of your ears the things which they never had proclaimed them with the clarity of Christ Crucified. Mother, Saint Eve thought her pregnancy and delivery of Cain was the coming of Messiah. But you celebrate yearly both The Messiah’s Conception and Nativity as you sing His hymns, hear His very words, and receive His Body and Blood. What Abraham and David were promised you have received. What Esaias and Jeremias prophesied you know actually happened. You hear the true story, all the parables made real and solid and literal, in the Flesh and Blood of the Suffering Servant!
Oh, what wonderful, joyous, and objectively true good news you are doused, slathered, sprayed, dunked, and splashed with (using water metaphors for Jesus as He is The Water of Life and you have been + Baptized). There you are in the future, you’ve been there in the past, maybe, you’re there right now—on the dusty, dry, hot battlefield. You’re wounded, in incredible pain, scared, lonely…and yet you know! You believe That Jesus is your Lord and God. That He lives. That He loves you and forgives you for everything that your own sin has brought upon you and all the others. You hear the words of The Word made Flesh—“te absolve” I forgive; “well done my good and faithful servant;” “these things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And you are in that Cheer, That Evangel. It’s in you for Christ is in you.
You know that Jesus is your Good Samaritan. That though He was viewed by his enemies as less than a Son of Israel, He was in fact the True Israel. What the Law and The Prophets, The 10 Commandments could not do—both the Priest and Levite passed by unable to help even had they stopped—The outcast Rabbi of Righteousness did do. He Himself was stripped by thieves of the Sanhedrin, wounded, and left NOT half-dead but DEAD-dead!
Nobody want to be the dead guy in the ditch. But we are. Nobody wants to have the rescue take place in such a way that we can’t brag about just a “little” of it…2%, or may 0.5%...I did my bit Jesus. But that’s just the way Jesus is. And you know it—you believe, teach, and confess it. You know your Good Samaritan in His Person and His Work. And you do not fear His final words in this morning’s text: “Go, and do thou likewise.” You know you are not the Good Samaritan (God) and you can’t do what the Good Samaritan did and does—love God perfectly and love neighbor perfectly.
And even more so, you know, that knowing this doesn’t mean you won’t still try by the power of The Holy Spirit to obey and serve—of course you will—you believe Saint Paul and all the New Testament witnesses. But the most important thing is that you know and are known by, the One that is The true neighbor to you when you fell among satanic thieves—you receive His Mercy. Eat, drink, and live—Now, and forever.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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