A while later a city gent happened to pass by. He looked at the bleeding man on the ground and thought: This may be a trap. If I stop to help him someone might come out from the bushes and attack me. I'd better hurry home.
And so he did.
A while more later another man happened to come along. He saw the elderly man on the ground and thought: I'd better pretend not to have seen him. If I stop and call the police and ambulance they will ask me a lot of questions. They will want a lot of information. I'll be a witness and I'll probably have to go to Court eventually to say what I saw. I really can't be bothered with all this. I'd better rush home.
And so he did.
A few minutes later a learned man came by. He had studied sociology, philosophy, and many other important subjects and he was now a famous professor at the local University whose opinion and views were often sought on matters of importance. He looked at the injured man on the ground and thought: Whoever did this needs help. They must be from an under-priviledged background and up-bringing. Poor souls!
And he hurried home thinking about modern society and decided to write a paper on crime and poverty.
Two thousand years after Jesus told a similar story, (Luke 10:25), life hasn’t changed so much in this world.
FATHER FRANCIS MAPLE
HUMM--interesting twist to an old story--but what about the tattoo covered--scraggly young man who came alone later and DID help??/
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Friend!
Yes Lulu, every so often someone does come along and help, but rarely these days.
DeleteLet me tell you the true story upon which my tale is based.
Years ago when I travelled often to London on business, one evening I was returning home at about 6.00pm and went to Victoria Underground Tube station to travel on to my railway station and home.
There on the ground, sitting by the wall, was a man in a dark suit holding a briefcase and with his head hunched down forward on his chest. He was motionless. People were passing him by and ignoring him.
I approached him to see if I could help. He raised his head revealing a white clerical collar round his neck. You can imagine my surprise to find our elderly priest from back home. What are the chances of that happening in busy London?
He mumbled that he had been to a meeting in nearby Wesminster Cathedral (Catholic UK HQ) and on his way home he felt faint and fell to the ground.
My first instincts were to phone an ambulance. He refused point blank. He said he had to go home because he was officiating at a funeral the next day.
I got him to stand up, we slowly made our way out of the tube station and we took a taxi to the railway station; and from there we took a train home. A couple of hours or so later I delivered him to his church where the other priest and the housekeeper were very worried because they had not heard from him for hours. They were about to report him missing.
This priest has been dead for some years now, (RIP). I think he is looking down at us with a smile. But I am still very angry Lulu, that no one bothered to stop and help him. He wasn't dressed in poor dirty clothing and likely to be mistaken for a beggar or a homeless drunk. He was in a business suit and yet no one cared enough to stop. What chance have beggars of any help from the rest of society?
God bless you.
Yes, Victor, we are all WAY too busy to help these days---and then there are those such as you---who redeem that situation.
DeleteGod Bless, Friend!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Lulu.
DeleteGod bless you always my friend.
I have a similar story, though not as dramatic. There were three of us on a business trip a few years ago and I and one were having breakfest at the hotel and waiting for the third. He was extremely late and finally I decided to go knock at his room thinking he overslept. As I'm walking to the stairway I see a black man with his back to me on the ground at the foot of the stairs. I rushed over to see what was wrong, and as i turned him to see his face to my shock it was our third fellow traveler, who was a black man but I didn't recognize him on the ground from the back. Going down the stairs to meet us for breakfest his knee gave out and he tumbled down. I don't even know how long he was lying there. Well we called an ambulance and got him help, and ultimately i think he needed a knee operation. It was so startling to see someone you know on the gorund needing help.
DeleteIt was fortunate you found him when you did, Manny.
DeleteGod bless.
That was a touching story. It's a good reminder to always check on our neighbors or passersby, to be sure they don't need assistance.
ReplyDeleteIt was fortuitous that you happened along when your friend needed help the most! 'Course, I don't believe in coincidence when one believes in Christ. HE puts in places we need to be just at the right time and HE does that for us too.
Hope your evening is blessed. ~:)
Thank you Sparky.
DeleteCan you imagine, London at the time had a population of over 6 million. On that particular day I had stayed late at work and left my office at around 6.00pm to catch two different trains to go home. As it happened, I came accross our priest lying on the ground. Had I left work at my normal time, I would not have seen him. Not a coincidence - a God incidence.
God bless you and your family.
You didn't finish the story? I was thinking that Fr. Ignatius would come along and help the man.
ReplyDeleteI see your point, Manny. But this was not a Fr Ignatius story. It was a reflection of the sad society we now live in.
DeleteThere was a TV program a while back where they asked people whether they would stop and help someone in distress and a large % said: NO.
They used actors lying on the ground pretending to be hurt in a busy city street. People passed by and ignored them.
God bless.
Hi Victor! I wonder how many times this happens in modern day. I'd bet a lot. Confronted by evil or harm, I think most people would try to avoid it. I hope I wouldn't, but I know that I'm human.
ReplyDeleteJesus knew what stories would connect to His time, and what would resonate through the ages. We haven't gotten that much better have we... Thanks be to God for His mercy and grace.
Blessings,
Ceil
Hello Ceil,
DeleteAs you say, we haven't changed much over the years have we? I sometimes despair with modern life.
God bless.