“Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.” – Luke 10:31-32

They had reasons, I’m sure, to take the other side.
I can’t imagine all the obligations they’d have had,
of family and church and ordinary daily life.
They had their reasons, yes, I’m sure.

Did their reasons reassure a dying man?

Do I have reasons? Yes, I have, commitments overwhelming.
I try to think “strategically,” to “choose my battles,” “save
the energy for when it’s needed,” “take my rest.”
I have my reasons in their legions.

Do my reasons reassure a threatened woman?

Do we have our reasons? Yes, we have. Resources are
not infinite by any means. What this one gets, another one
does not. Dare we deprive another for the needs of one?
We have more reasons than responses.

Do our reasons reassure a grieving child?

Do we have our reasons? Yes, of all the things
we call our own, we cling to reasons – even more
than gold or power or privilege or guns.
We have our reasons and we will not let them go.

Do our reasons satisfy the One whose love embraces dying souls?

A poem/prayer based on Luke 10:25-37, the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel Reading for Year C, Proper 10 (15).

The image is El bon samarità (The Good Samaritan) (1838) by Pelegrí Clavé i Roqué – Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21454886.