Thoughts for the Day

Ruins of Samaritan Temple

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I am reminded of the times I have asked something of another Christian and been turned down. It might have been to ask them to read a lesson in church, or to lead the prayers, or even to think about training to become a Lay Reader or Priest. There were probably more occasions when people said "Yes", but it's always the ones who said "No" I remember. But sometimes, years later I have heard, that they had accepted the same request from another Priest. I had simply asked them too soon, but under a more patient Vicar and with God's help it had jolted their spiritual journey forward.

Today's reading from Luke's Gospel reminds me of this for two reasons. First, there were two ways to go from Galilee to Jerusalem. The direct route was through Samaria, but most Jews avoided it and took the longer route. Centuries of dispute between the two groups had not diminished by the time of Jesus. The Assyrians had settled people in that area, and we saw that in the time of Ezra they were of mixed heritage and were rejected as suitable to help rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. In the mid 5th century BCE they even built their own temple, and 500 years later the parable of the Good Samaritan would have been ridiculed as something that could never happen.

Secondly, in today's reading Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and to his death, yet he chooses to go out of his way to Samaria. He stops there not only to find refreshment but to offer the hand of friendship, both of which are refused. James and John blithely offer to destroy the village but Jesus exercises tolerance and they move on. The offer of peace and reconciliation has been made, only time will tell if the villagers on Mount Gerizim will respond to Jesus' message in the years to come.

Lord God,
You remind us today
that we are to go out of our way
to take Your message of love to others.
May we rejoice when Your words are welcomed,
and pray for those who are not ready to respond,
that Your Spirit will find them more responsive
to another messenger in the future.
Amen.