In the Gospel we are challenged to love God with all of our heart, being, strength and mind and our neighbor as ourselves. Like Jonah we can try to run away from God and God's will and the particular mission God has for each one of us. Or like the priest and the Levite we may have a fleeting compassionate thought about the stranger lying alongside the road but choose instead to mind our own business, choose to come up with an ample amount of compelling excuses for our behavior, but in reality choose to ignore our neighbor in need. At our worst we may be inclined to act like the thief or thieves who take whatever they can for themselves seemingly without concern for what is right and wrong. We may sometimes live beside people with this kind of attitude but they are still, in fact, our neighbors. We may be like the inn keeper who cares for the injured man because he will be compensated. Or we can be like the Samaritan who interrupts his life to respond to the need of a stranger. Only the Samaritan gives without counting the personal cost. Only the Samaritan makes the invisible God visible. Only the Samaritan truly loves God with all his heart, being, strength and mind by setting aside his plans for the day and loving his neighbor as God loves us. The scriptures challenge us to be a living image of the invisible God, making Jesus present by the way we love whichever neighbor God places in our path.