Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lk 10:25-37
July 10, 2022

During the early weeks of the invasion, the first lady of Ukraine gave an interview to an American journalist. Speaking from an undisclosed location because of security concerns, Olena Zelenska ended her plea for support from western nations with a profound statement:

Don’t get used to our grief!

Her concern that the world not get used to the grief of her country is quite valid. Research done by philanthropic organizations proves that donors often succumb to “giving fatigue.” There comes a point when generosity is exhausted and charitable giving slows or totally shuts down.

(This condition is all too familiar to most pastors, trying to keep a parish operating in the black, while still managing the unexpected emergencies…like leaky roofs, plumbing problems, etc. etc. etc.)

A close relative of “giving fatigue” is “compassion fatigue.” It is not uncommon, even among the most caring of folks, to reach an emotional saturation point. There is a limit to how much suffering most of us can witness before we start to self-protect and take a few steps back…or tune out altogether.

“Compassion fatigue” can hit after we hear the same thing over and over and over from a troubled friend. It can explain why we reach for the remote, rather than listen to horrific details of the most recent mass shooting. It’s not as if we become bored by the anguished testimony of the latest victims. It is a matter of being so overwhelmed with the horror of it all that we become numb to the tragedy. We become used to the grief. So, we turn off the news.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is more than a simple, little “feel good” story. And it does not seem to be limited to a way of defining the concept of “neighbor.” Actually, the multiple characters make for a pretty complex lesson that deserves a lot of thought and reflection. It’s unclear what caused the priest and the Levite to pass on by. For that matter, the innkeeper’s role in the drama is worth pondering.

Scripture scholars propose various suggestions for what appears to be a callous reaction to human suffering. Some are more forgiving than others. It might just be that they suffered from “giving…or compassion fatigue” or a combination of both.

The unnamed Samaritan, by contrast, hung in there. He observed, immediately reacted, followed through with his care, and then committed to the future needs of the victim. No “donor fatigue” on his part.

The Lord highlights the fact that all of this is unexpected in that the benefactor was a foreigner. Of course, this stretches the concept of “neighbor.” But, at the same time, this little parable highlights what is expected from disciples of Jesus Christ. The story stretches us!

Our Second Reading opens with the reminder that Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God. By sending The Son into this world of constant challenge and suffering, The Father is telling us that God does not get used to our grief…but is continually present to heal, strengthen, support, inspire, and forgive. There is no Donor Fatigue on God’s part…even to the point of sacrificing Jesus.

There is no Donor Fatigue on the part of Jesus, Who gave the last drop of His Blood to pay our sin debt. And even as the Son is the image of the invisible Father, through our Baptisms, we are called to be an image of Jesus Christ.

We reflect Christ in a clear and brilliant way when we are “good Samaritans.” Obviously, we cannot respond to every cause, every tragedy, every need. Pain and suffering are all around us. Sometimes, our resources run low and we can’t help but feel fatigued. Still, we must never get used to the grief of others. When we lose our compassion…we lose a critical connection to Christ.