Who Is My Neighbor? #2003

Who Is My Neighbor? In the shadow of the Good Samaritan's tale, A question lingers: Who is my neighbor? To serve a neighbor is to serve God, A truth profound, a call to labor. From Jericho's road, where mercy was shown, To the commandment of love, in words engraved, To love our neighbor as ourselves, A beacon of light, through darkness paved. Jesus calls to the lost sheep of Israel, To preach the kingdom, its nearness declared. The message of heaven, a whisper of hope, In every heart, to be shared and bared. Among the homeless, the baptized ones, A testament to faith, yet struggling still, Sixty percent, wandering souls, In need of love, in need of will. Pasture the flock, doomed to slaughter, A shepherd's call, to protect and care. From Zechariah's vision, a duty revealed, To save the lost, in love to share. So who is my neighbor, we ask anew, In every face, the image of God. To serve them is to serve the Divine, In this truth, our hearts are awed. From every crossroad, to every need, To the lost sheep, to the pasture's plea, The kingdom of heaven, ever so near, In loving our neighbor, we truly see. -Steven G. Lee (June 28, 2024)