The “Good Samaritan” Novena: Being good neighbors in a world of conflict

The Oratory will start a novena of masses Monday, August 11. This novena will draw on the question of the parable of the Good Samaritan, “Who is my neighbor?” Christ’s response was unexpected. He refused to draw a narrow circle and limit caring to that number of people. Instead, he focused on a Samaritan–anathema to the Jews of the time–who was more of a neighbor to an injured man than than his co-religionists.

This series of masses will focus on praying that Christians will be “good neighbors” in areas of the world where there is pain, injury, and oppression. There will be prayer for discernment for wise, caring choices, and right actions by Christians involved in the Middle East conflicts, the immigration controversy, equality, and more.

I’ll be posting each day the specific intention of the mass and you are more than welcome to add your own concerns.