While walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, Fr. Jim experienced deep connection and closeness with fellow pilgrims from around the world, even sharing food and space in ways that challenged his sense of personal boundaries. This sense of human connection stood in sharp contrast to life back home in Epping, where people often avoid eye contact, remain absorbed in their phones, and live in socially isolated bubbles. Fr. Jim reflects that while such separation became necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic, we now risk remaining disconnected long after the crisis has passed.
Reflecting on the parable of the Good Samaritan, Fr. Jim reminds us that Jesus was not just teaching us how to love our neighbour, but redefining who our neighbour is. The priest and Levite in the story had socially or religiously valid reasons for passing by the injured man, just as we sometimes feel justified in keeping our distance. However, Jesus calls us to cross those boundaries of comfort, even today. Pope Francis, in Fratelli Tutti, warns against the fragmentation of society and emphasizes the need to rebuild human connection.
Fr. Jim encourages the parish to take deliberate steps to reconnect—with simple gestures like saying hello, making eye contact, or shaking hands. At Mass, he invites people to reclaim the Sign of Peace as a small but powerful act of rehumanization, beginning in the church community and extending into the wider world. By fostering hospitality through morning teas, dinners, and greetings, we slowly heal the broken bonds that the pandemic and modern life have strained.
Ultimately, Fr. Jim challenges us to embody the spirit of the Good Samaritan—not just as an abstract ideal, but in our everyday choices. If we fail to show compassion and closeness to others, we risk becoming like those who passed by the wounded man. Jesus’ call to love and connect with one another remains the only path forward in a fragmented world. It is through these small acts of kindness and presence that we bring the light of the Kingdom of God into our world, here and now.
Journal and reflect on the following
When have you experienced deep connection with others—like Fr. Jim did on the Camino—and how did it challenge or enrich your understanding of community?
In what ways has modern life or the pandemic shaped your habits of social interaction, and how might you begin to reclaim a sense of connection with those around you?
Who do you consider your “neighbour” today? Are there people you overlook, avoid, or struggle to connect with? Why?
Like the priest in the parable, what excuses or fears might hold you back from reaching out to someone in need?
How do small gestures—like eye contact, a smile, or a handshake—have the power to rehumanize our relationships and rebuild community?
Where in your parish, school, or local area can you intentionally build bridges of connection and hospitality?
How is Jesus inviting you today to be more like the Good Samaritan—not only in moments of crisis but in your daily life?
Discuss
Song - I will be here
Final Prayer
Loving God, open our hearts to see the people around us not as strangers, but as neighbours—each one carrying joys, wounds, and longings like our own. Break through the noise and isolation that so easily surrounds us, and rekindle in us the courage to reach out, to listen, and to love as You do. May we become like the Good Samaritan, unafraid to draw near to the broken, and willing to carry Your light through acts of kindness, mercy, and presence. In a world longing for connection, let us be instruments of Your compassion, healing what is wounded and building community wherever we go. Amen.
