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I will be traveling to Lebanon for a week this Friday. I will teach a pastoral theology course at the Armenian Theological Seminary, where I graduated 25 years ago. This visit was arranged between our Prelate, His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, and the Seminary dean so pastors serving the Eastern Prelacy could share their knowledge and expertise with the seminarians. 

Last Friday, I hosted the “Stories of Love and Faith” event. In the last part of the program, I read the parable of the Good Samaritan to the audience. After giving some contextual explanation of the narrative, I asked my audience what they thought this parable was about. They all said compassion, empathy, helping, etc. I agree with your answers, I said, but here is my dilemma; we read this parable when I was in my graduate program, and my professor asked: imagine the Good Samaritan, finishing taking care of the man whom he found half dead on the side of the road, heading back to his destination finds another person in the same situation, and then a third and a fourth, when would the good samaritan think enough is enough? This question made me research the parable and try to understand the real meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan.

My research led me to St. Augustine who in an allegorical exegesis claims That the Samaritan is Christ, the man coming down from Jericho is Adam, the robbers are the Satan and his minions, the inn is the church, the oil and wine as the scaraments of the church and inn keeper is the apostle. Although we do not use allegorical exegesis as a reliable way of looking at the Scriptures, this specific teaching touches my heart because it shows us that we can find ourselves spiritually broken, beaten, and scarred. However, Jesus heals us and we see His healing grace actively present in His church. 

Last Friday evening, I used the Parable of the Good Samaritan to convey a message about Christ's commandment to "Love God and Love Your Neighbor." I emphasized that this commandment is better practiced when we recognize our shared need for Christ and His healing power to restore our brokenness. We need the church to receive God's grace abundantly as we struggle against evil and its relentless attacks. 

This Friday, I will again draw on the same parable as I prepare for my trip to Lebanon. I pray that God grants me wisdom to seize this unique opportunity to remind my seminarian brothers that we, as clergy, are like the innkeepers in the Good Samaritan story. Our role is to care for everyone who enters the inn. I will urge them to fulfill our responsibilities with love and integrity, becoming true agents of healing, hope, and love.