A religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. "Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?" He answered, "What's written in God's Law? How do you interpret it?" He said, "That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence—and that you love your neighbor as well as you do yourself." "Good answer!" said Jesus. "Do it and you'll live." Looking for a loophole, he asked, "And just how would you define 'neighbor'?" Jesus answered by telling a story. "There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the same road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man. "A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man's condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I'll pay you on my way back.' "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?" "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, "Go and do the same."

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Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace and Peace be with you Christ's Soldier!

Today we heard in the Gospel the story of a good man. He was called a Samaritan. He lived in the part of Israel that was called Samaria. The Jewish people did not like Samaritans. The talked bad about them. They would not even touch them. The would not eat around them. The Samaritans believed in God too, but they had some different ways to worship.

Jesus made up this story you read. He wanted to show who is a good neighbor. Now the poor fellow that got robbed was a Jewish person. There came a Jewish priest along the road. He walked way on the other side. He did not want to touch who he thought may have been a dead man. If he did, he could not do his duty at Temple. He would be unclean. There came a religious man that did the same thing. He walked on the far side of the road.

Then came along this Samaritan that the Jews didn't like. He saw the poor Jewish man in the ditch. He helped him. He took him to an inn to get well. So Jesus asked, "Who is the neighbor to the man who was robbed. The people all said, "it was he who helped him." That was the right answer, and so Jesus told them to go and do the same thing. That is one part of the special rule that Jesus gave us. It says to love our neighbors as ourselves. If you were in car crash, you would want a good neighbor to stop and help you. That is what you should do too, help anyone you see who needs you.

I will write you next week. Until then, may God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bless you, your family, and your friends!

Granddaddy

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LESSON EXERCISES

* Can you name the people in this story, and tell about them?

* In you own words, what do you think this story is about?

* Draw a picture that tells the Gospel story. (You may copy or trace the one on the lesson if you wish.)

* Make up a story (parable) or share a true story that is like our lesson today.

* Sing a song about today's story

Songs for Children

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Notice: This is an open letter to my Grandson Nathan. It is under copyright protection: The Rev. Mark Carroll, MMVI

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