HELP IN TIME OF NEED

 A REFLECTION FOR THE 13TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Lepers by the wayside calling for help.  How many times do we pass by along the way and hear the cries for help from those we pass?  How many times do we ignore those cries?  Do we even hear them?  Or are our own preoccupations so distracting that the desperate cries of our neighbor fall on deaf ears?

 

As Catholics who at least in theory want to follow in the footsteps of our Blessed Lord, it is incumbent upon us to maintain a kind of situational awareness as we walk through life.  Our passage through this all-too-brief sojourn on earth must not turn into a leisurely stroll seeking out only the comforts that we crave. 

 

Think of it in terms of a long drive to visit someone we love (for that is what our path to heaven is).  We are anxious to reach our destination.  We stay tuned to our GPS and make sure we haven’t made a wrong turn.  We aren’t concerned with making a lot of stops on the way, just the minimum for fuel, bathroom and a quick sandwich.  We’re conscious only of our destination, and making sure we reach it safely. 

 

In life, we do the same thing.  Or at least we try to.  We are committed to staying on track, not straying outside the Church through apostasy, or out of the grace of God through sin.  We make sure we don’t run out of gas or get too tired of the journey by renewing our state of grace through the sacraments.  If the car breaks down, we go to Confession.  If we need gas, we make sure to go to Communion.  And through spiritual reading and meditation we gradually come to grips with our journey, understanding what is expected of us as we travel.  But all of this is part and parcel of our trip, with the arrival at our ultimate destination our prime concern.

 

Of course, the highway to heaven is paved with good intentions, and sometimes we don’t live up to our resolutions.  Loving God and neighbor is not always easy, especially if we think that by stopping to help someone who has a flat tire it’s going to slow us down.  The path of perfection is a toll road, and now and again, we have to stop and pay.  Sometimes, that means stopping to help out that soul in distress, or going out of our way to pick someone up and give them a lift.

 

Look around as you go your way.  Find those in need and go out of your way to help them.  And if it’s you who finds yourself stranded by the side of the road, don’t be afraid to call out for help like the ten lepers in today’s Gospel and give your neighbor the opportunity to earn some graces themselves.