“Every person in this world, regardless of ethnicity, social status, or age, has a unique and eternal value in the love of God,” emphasized Patriarch Daniel of Romania on Sunday, referring to the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
He added that “every person can become the hands of God’s merciful love, through which He works in the world to lift up and heal those wounded in body and soul.”
“Therefore, one’s neighbor is any person who helps another human being in suffering, but also any person who needs the help of others, regardless of people’s nation, rank, position, or age.”
Every Person Is Our Neighbor
“The neighbor is not a friend or a familiar person, but a stranger – someone from whom you would not expect help – so that the grace of God surprises us when He works through them. Why? So that we do not place our hope only in people we know, but first in the help of God, who can turn a stranger into a friend for us, while a friend can sometimes become indifferent or even an enemy,” His Beatitude continued.
“Each of us can be a neighbor to someone if we become the hands of God’s merciful love for people in need,” Patriarch Daniel emphasized.
He highlighted the practical value of the example given by Jesus Christ: “Today’s Gospel is not limited to describing a beautiful gesture from the past. It is a clear and firm call to action, to good deeds in the present: Go and do likewise.”
“This command of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the practical conclusion of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, has been followed by the Church since its earliest days. This explains the philanthropic and charitable work of the Church throughout the centuries.”
The Samaritan – The Hands of God’s Love
“The Good Samaritan symbolizes both Christ’s humble and merciful love and the philanthropic or charitable work of the Church. Yet this refers not only to the institutional work of the Church, but also to the charitable work of every individual Christian,” Patriarch Daniel explained.
“Every person can become the image of the Good Samaritan, the image of the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, because through each person Christ can show His merciful and generous love in the world when the heart becomes compassionate and giving toward someone in difficulty.”
The Good Samaritan is anyone who helps another human being in suffering, His Beatitude emphasized again.
Let Us All Become Good Samaritans
As a consequence of this evangelical call, “in the last 30 years, our Church has intensified its charitable and philanthropic work,” the Patriarch noted.
“It has established soup kitchens for the poor, dining facilities for children, children’s homes, residences for the elderly, and medical units for the sick. The presence of chaplains is felt in hospitals, the Army, and prisons – all of these are works of the Good Samaritan.”
“Yet, because the need for help is very great, the Church’s activity must be further amplified, to respond more adequately to the enduring command of the Lord Jesus Christ: Go and do likewise,” His Beatitude added.
Patriarch Daniel took part on Sunday, November 16, 2025, in the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the historic Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence.
Photo: Ziarul Lumina
Source: Basilica.ro
