How can I enter heaven?

WOMAN was badly injured in an accident. A man came to the scene but had difficulty getting answers to his questions about her condition.

The Good Samaritan called up an ambulance on his cell phone, saying, “A woman has been in­jured. She’s about 38 and ap­pears to be in pain.” Whereupon the woman looked up angry and snapped: “Stupid, I’m 30!” This shows that it’s not easy to be a Good Samaritan.

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Anyway, the man in the above story exemplified the Good Sa­maritan about whom Christ ex­tols in this 15th Sunday’s gospel (cf. Lk 10, 25-37).

The parable teaches that EV­ERYONE in need is our neighbor. It is not just the people we live with or live next door, a friend or a countryman.

It’s noteworthy that the Jews hated the Samaritans who re­garded them as heretics, trai­tors, worthless scum incapable of doing good.

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But in today’s gospel, Christ who was a Jew makes the hated Samaritan the hero which must have sounded outrageous to his countrymen, the religious lead­ers especially. What Christ high­lights is: Love knows no bound­aries of creed, color or race.

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“How can I be a neighbor?” We can be a neighbour by reaching out to help those in need depending on the kind of help that’s required. In the case of the Good Samaritan, he as­sisted by bringing the victim to an inn for further treatment and accommodation which required financial assistance. The as­sistance could be non-material like a compliment or encourage­ment to someone who’s heavily weighed down with a problem, visiting the sick or a grieving family.

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For those in the government, being a Good Samaritan could mean crafting laws and imple­menting projects that would im­prove the living condition of the people and alleviate their suffer­ings.

Doing charity is not easy.

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One time a lady came to me importuning for help because her young daughter was alleg­edly dying at Philippine General Hospital. She needed money very badly or her daughter would die. I was moved by her plight and tearful persistence so I handed her quite an amount. Later I was told by some neighbors that she was just making a story, that there was no dying child; that she was a con artist.

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I felt so bad and consoled my­self, saying, “If she was a con artist, let the money served as a talent fee!”

Being charitable, even if you get duped, is more meritorious than being a close-fisted miser. However, we should not allow ourselves to be victimized by crooks and swindlers.

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Note that Jesus’ teaching about the Good Samaritan is very similar to his parable of the Last Judgment. Both parables teach that the main requirement for entering heaven is our works of mercy and charity.

“What must I do to gain eter­nal life?” There are people who are afraid of death or meeting the Lord after death. There’s ab­solutely no need to be afraid if they have done works of mercy while they are still in this world.

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SICK INDIGENTS. Be a Good Samaritan. Help some indigent sick we’re supporting, like Dante C. suffering from renal failure, five-year-old leukemia patient Al­ison L., Rosanna C., M. Maranga, Jacky L.

Contribute an amount to buy medicines and pay their medical treatments. Your help may save the lives of these poor people.

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GOD BLESS – the following latest donors: Anonymous CHI­NESE-FILIPINO DONOR, GERRY “MR. FREEZE” SANTOS, GREG JR.-TEK SAUCO, WILLY-LINA ONG, EFREN SANTOS.

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Others who wish to help may e-mail me at: [email protected]

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FAMILY TV MASS – is aired on 5PLUS Channel 59 at 6-7 a.m. every Sunday and at YouTube on “The Filipino Catholic” at 8 a.m.; also on international GMA Pinoy TV. Sponsor: MT. CARMEL PAR­ISH, STA. MARIA BULACAN. Mass celebrant: Fr. Egai de Jesus.

The FAMILY that prays togeth­er stays together.