Selection of the sermons of Father Ezekiel Oko
Go and do the same!
Dear sisters and brothers, the commandment to love one's neighbor is often not easy to understand. Each of us knows that we are called to charity. But we are not always aware of how we can fulfill this commandment in concrete life. As a result, we often miss many opportunities for charity. Who is my neighbor?” and “How can I recognize and seize the opportunity to love my neighbor?” are some of the questions Jesus wants to answer for us in today's gospel. With the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus wants to tell us that the charity to which we are called should be shown in the midst of life.
In the midst of life were the many people in this parable: A man who was mugged, robbed and left half dead. The priest and the Levite, concentrating on their ministry, unwilling to help the ambushed man. The innkeeper who took over and continued looking after the victim. And of course the man from Samaria. They were all engaged in concrete activities of life.
They were all “called to charity”. And how did you deal with it? The priest and the Levite failed. They knew from the law the double commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. Perhaps they had even read it to the people. They didn't succeed in seeing the specific place and time here. The innkeeper was called to charity. We will read no more of him. He made money from his service to the victim. But how did he do the ministry? Was it indifferent? Was it with inner love? We do not know it.
And of course there was the hero of the parable. The man from Samaria! He lived charity. He cared neither for the danger from the robbers nor for his appointments. He invested time and money in these strangers. Nothing else mattered to him at the moment.
"Go and do likewise!" is Jesus' command to the teacher of the law and, I think, to all of us. I wonder what this parable has to do with my personal experiences. And what this request of Jesus – “Go and do the same!” – says to me.
As a stranger, I have met people who have shown me charity on a number of occasions. Those were moments in my life when I didn't know how to continue because I was facing a big challenge. A good example of this was when we were looking for a flat in 2016. When I got a place at the University of Bonn after my German course, I looked for months without success for an apartment. No landlord wanted to rent his apartment to a foreign student without being sure that he could pay the rent without any problems. I had to prove that I was financially secure to pay the rent. But my application for the apartment was repeatedly rejected by the landlords. This experience was a nightmare for me.
With only a few weeks left to leave the language institute, one day I went to the chapel and prayed and asked God, 'Where are You, O God? Why are you abandoning me now? What should I do now?’ As I left the chapel after this prayer, I suddenly met the priest who was working there. He asked me, 'Ezekiel, what's the matter with you? you seem sad Can I help you?' Then I told him about my frustrating experience when looking for an apartment. He then sent a request for an apartment to all Catholic communities near the University of Bonn and received three positive replies. One of them was that of the then pastor of Bad Godesberg – Pastor Picken (today the city dean of Bonn). He offered me a nice apartment in his former municipality - Bad Godesberg - which was free for a year.
As I reflect on this experience, I know that charity can have a tremendous impact in the lives of others. And the command of Jesus – “Go and do the same!”? These are not empty words for me. Because I have experienced myself that charity can save a life.
Dear sisters and brothers, you must have had your experience of charity. Each and every one of us can tell a lot about his or her experience. This could be an experience with a caregiver who does more than their job because they pay more attention and put their heart into it.
Our experience is full of it. We commend some people for being totally immersed in what they are doing. It's the people who catch our eye because they pay more attention to the other. You are different from the average. In that they do us good. And if we can, we seek your help.
“Go and do the same!” This call applies to all of us. Who are the people I deal with? Can there be an encounter with what the other is about? Do I have any idea of ​​the small added value that can arise when I act with charity? What about the person who asks for directions? How does he get my answer? All this, dear sisters and brothers, happens in the midst of life. Everyone I meet is my neighbor. I can act with charity and thereby change the world a little.
Overview