Today’s Reading: Mark 12:28-31
Tokyo city is divided into districts, each with a neighborhood association that deals with social services, street cleaning, appointment of security officers and other things.

Our world is moving very fast towards individualism. Nobody knows nobody; people do not care for each other and even the residents of an apartment building don’t talk to each other. An individual may be attacked in public and no one will help. Nobody wants to get involved.

On many occasions, we are like the priest and the Levite in the parable of Jesus, who passed by when they saw the man who was in problems. This parable teaches us to recognize our neighbors and also how we treat them. As Christians, we have to care about our neighbors and must try to understand their suffering and pain. It’s not enough to grieve at the sight of those who are dying of hunger and misery; we must reach out. It’s not enough to know the name of your neighbor.

Jesus wants his followers to develop the art of good neighborliness, and He will help us, if we do so.

Ildefonso Torres