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It is funny today that both readings have the same two themes and pattern of delivery. They both tell the reader to first stay focused on God and His word. Then seek to do His will regardless of what the world thinks of your actions.

In the first reading from Galatians (GAL 1:6-12) Paul tells them to only listen to and follow the gospel from Jesus. He then says “Am I now currying favor with human beings or God? Or am I seeking to please people?” He is telling them that sometimes God asks us to do things that are unpopular based on society’s expectations.

In the Gospel Luke tells us the story of the Good Samaritan (LK 10:25-37). Jesus tells this story in response to being questioned by a scholar of the law regarding the most important of God’s commandments. When Jesus confirms the scholar’s answer to love God and your neighbor as being the most important the scholar follows up and asks Jesus “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus tells the story of the Good Samaritan to make it clear who are our neighbors. The priest and the Levite pass by the man in trouble because they were afraid to “get involved.” I am sure part of their decision stemmed from the question of “what would people say?”

Then the one that does stop, the Samaritan, is the one who would not have been expected to stop. As I understand it, the people of Samaria and Israel did not get along in the time of Jesus. But the Samaritan stopped to care for the man anyway. I am sure when his friends and family found out about it they gave him trouble. But he treated the traveler as his neighbor anyway.

This tells me that if you follow the teachings of God you need to treat everyone as your neighbor.