This Sunday, we will reflect on a familiar parable that Jesus shared (based on Luke 10:25-37). A priest, a Levite and a Samaritan each come across a badly injured man in a ditch. The priest and Levite walk past him. The Samaritan helps the man. New Testament scholar, Amy-Jill Levine (who is Jewish), shared in an interview with U.S. Catholic Magazine*:
“The best interpretation I’ve heard about this parable was from Martin Luther King Jr. He said something like: I don’t know why they walked by the man in the ditch, but here’s what my imagination tells me. Perhaps these men were afraid. They say to themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me? There are bandits on the road.” And the Samaritan says, “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
How might this parable be speaking to us today, where we find ourselves in our community and world? As we welcome New Members this Sunday, how might questions in the Membership Vows challenge us, as a community of individuals from a rich diversity of backgrounds and faith traditions?
We will also sing hymns, pray and reflect, and share a Children’s Moment. We will offer a special prayer for Rodney Long, who has served as our Director of Youth Ministries since January of 2018, and has been a blessing to the St. Mark’s community in so many ways. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will lead us in music. Randy Rogers will read our scripture passage(based on Luke 10:25-37). The sermon is titled “What Questions are We Asking?”
For those of you joining us, in person, we hope you be able to stay for Lemonade on the Lawn, after worship, to greet our New Members and to wish Rodney well as he begins his work with music educators and students in New York City.
If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 AM, and click on the Live Stream banner.
*This article appeared on the October 2012 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 77, No. 10, pages 18-22).