Reflections: In the steps of the Good Samaritan

Sydney
10 February 2002

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Reflections: In the steps of the Good Samaritan

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Reflections: In the steps of the Good Samaritan

By Dr Camille Paul

Some time ago I attended a Jewish-Christian dialogue day at the Randwick Spirituality Centre.
One of the speakers, a rabbi, said that people spoke of the 'Judeo-Christian Ethic', but he saw them as quite different and distinct - the Jewish ethic pragmatic and the Christian altruistic.
Given the history of the Jewish people and their long struggle for survival, an ethic of pragmatism would seem appropriate. If, on the other hand, the Christian ethic is altruistic, then this says something positive about Christian ethics, provided they are coupled with the other attributes. Studies of moral development claim that a morally mature person possesses the attitudes of altruism, rationality, responsibility and a degree of moral autonomy.
Such morally mature people treat others as ends and never as means. This entails the ability to know, to some degree, what other people want and how they feel. It means they can experience some empathy with others and with their concerns. Such feelings come under the heading of altruism or compassion and are a basic element of Christian morality.
However, this empathy, or altruism, is to be tempered by the ability to make judgements from 'hard facts' and to behave with due regard to possible circumstances and outcomes. This requires cognitive or rational development. And in certain times and circumstances there has to be the ability to formulate/ modify moral principles, ie (to use the language of moral developmental theory) to be morally autonomous persons.
Therefore, as well as altruism, reason and practicality ought to have a role to play in Christian moral maturity.
This can create a paradox in trying to live a moral life. St Paul expresses it thus in his letter to the Romans (7.19- 20): "Instead of doing the good things I want to do I carry out the sinful things I do not want to do." How often have we said to ourselves: "I believe I ought to do such and such, but in this case I feel I would rather do something else?"
This could be caused by the fact that while rationality influences our thinking, because we are Christians altruism, concern or love for others, ought to affect our behaviour. There can be a tension between what we rationally think we ought to do and how we behave.
Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan sums up the actions of a morally mature person. Compassion for someone in need motivates the Samaritan's behaviour - he goes to the aid of an injured person.
The Samaritan is inconvenienced by this altruistic act. He was, the story tells us, on a journey. He renders practical, rational help, binding up the injured man's wounds and then takes the further step of acting responsibly by 'lifting him on to his mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him'. The innkeeper is then asked to look after the injured person until the Samaritan's return.
Because the helper was a Samaritan and the injured person a Jew (at a time when great animosity existed between these people), the Samaritan showed a high degree of moral autonomy by going to his aid.
This ideal of Christian moral maturity in the Good Samaritan parable is not always easy to imitate; in fact, it can be quite difficult. However, as long as we keep this story in mind, it can hopefully influence our behaviour as well as our rational thinking, helping us to mature morally and become better followers of Christ.
Dr Camille Paul is a member of the Catholic Moral Theology Association of Australia and New Zealand