When our Lord as asked, “”Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10.25) He offered the story of the Good Samaritan along with the commandment, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10.37) God has made perfectly clear to us through His Gospel how we are supposed to live if we desire to live forever with Him in Heaven. The problem is….we just don’t understand the fullness of the Good Samaritan story because we don’t understand mercy.
When most of us think of mercy we think of “being let off the hook” for some poor behavior, but if we study the Lord’s words in the Gospel, we see mercy as an outward expression of compassion rather than some poor behavior being forgiven. This is also at the very core of our constant pleading for mercy during the Divine Liturgy. We are not begging God to simply forgive our poor behavior; we are asking Him to show us compassion and heal us for our spiritual and physical illness.
According to the Good Samaritan story, when we stop what we are doing, paying special attention to the needs of someone else, even if under normal situations we might not even talk to that person, and show them compassion and assist them in their weakness, this is showing mercy. But it is deeper even then this….
To show this type of compassion, to put the needs of others ahead of our needs and wants, is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit and the love that comes from a relationship with God. And THAT essentially is why showing mercy can get us to heaven.
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