Runner-up

THE GOOD SAMARITAN
by Nicole Arata
St. Isabella School

There are many types of cruelty in the world. But only one way to love. And we all know the easier path. Love is often underestimated. Love isn’t just something we feel, it’s something we do. And The Good Samaritan shows that love is reaching out to whomever is in need, who ever they are.

The story begins with a man, who is robbed and beaten. He is weak and lying on the road. The man represents someone who is suffering. And sometimes we forget that when we are hurting people, whether it is bullying someone younger then you, or betraying a friend, or any everyday offense, we are the robbers and whoever we are hurting is the man who was attacked. This tells us that the robbers are no unusual evil; they are just another act of cruelty that happens all the time.

But the story has an even deeper meaning. A preist comes by and sees the poor man. But simply passes him. Later, a Levite comes and does the same. They simply avoid him. Now, you may think that this is so unheard of, that they are outrageous and sinful. But really are they any different from us? We are all flawed, and we don’t always help others when we should. When someone is being picked on and we say nothing, we do just the same as the Levite and Priest. Sometimes what we don’t do can be just as bad as doing something wrong. If you let something sinful continue, then you are saying you approve and accept the injustice.

But then, a Samaritan comes. The man and the Samaritan are enemies, they would usually have nothing to do with each other. But when the Samaritan sees the man, he helps him. Not because the man is his friend or family, not because he likes or respects him in any way. But because it’s the right thing to do. The Samaritan knows that helping whoever needs help, is a Christ-like way to live, because Jesus was like the Samaritan. He was willing to touch the unclean. He was willing to go to the lost, the outcast, and the needy. And, like the Samaritan, Jesus was an outcast among those who where believed to be so high and holy. In the eyes of the Priests, Lawyers, Scribes, and others he was an unlawful fool.

Now to ask ourselves, would we have helped? The Priest, for example had a good excuse. He would have to go through much work to “cleanse” himself after helping the man. It would be difficult for him and tiring. So he decides to pass the man. So, he chooses to help someone only when it is convenient. But what we must do to be truly good, is go out of our way to show compassion.

It is easy to help people we love, but it can be very difficult to help people he hate. But Jesus showed us that love is unconditional, and that being a good neighbor is doing just that ­ helping those who need it, no matter who they are.

Runner-up

 
by Maria Lara
St. Robert School

You’re walking down the street and you see a man starving, homeless, and he needs serious help. You then see other people walk by him, ignoring him. What do you do? Go help him, or just walk by him, like everyone else? Down deep, you know the right answer is to help him, but it seems weird to go and do something like that. This man is in serious need, and I know everyone has been in serious need before. It could have been physically or mentally. In this hard time of your life, someone helped you, your family, a friend, and God was definitely there for you! So now, you decide to go help him. This experience is very important and will influence you in the future when you’re growing up, and it will reflect on other people too. But how? Well, I have many reasons to explain the benefits of helping out our world.

When you’re growing up, you’ll be more open to helping others. If you helped your friend with their homework, I’m sure they’ll be thankful towards you. This is important because it will lead you to doing more things like such and soon it will become second nature, you won’t have to hesitate! Also, you could have received help yourself by someone. You’ll be thankful towards them, and most likely, it will feel good that you know someone is there for you. Help from someone moves most people, it makes them want to go and help someone else and make them feel good too! As you mature, you develop a nature to give to others. It could be picking up a pen someone dropped or helping someone with a problem that they’ve have withheld. Big or small, doing the right thing makes you heart grow bigger and it gives you the feeling of generosity. Simply helping someone is the building blocks for a happy and peaceful future.

You know how when you do something charitable, other people want to do something like that too. On the other hand, it could be you wanting to do something generous for others. Kindness tends to be very contagious! “Good Samaritan experiences” happen every single day and people have a want to help others. When you receive help from someone, you’re glad someone’s there and you won’t be stuck alone. What about when you have a problem and you pray to God to help you, and He does help you? Nobody wants to have a problem and want no help at all! It is our nature to go to someone when we’re in need! When you receive help, you get a feeling of kindness and caring from the other person, and you want to share that with others. So being openhearted will make people want to go and do something good for the world. It could be something little, like saving a homeless dog, or something bigger, like starting a shelter for the homeless. No matter what it is, big or small, God sees it as you doing the right thing without having to tell everyone. Receiving help makes you want to help, which makes another person want to help, and it goes on and on! Generosity is like a never-ending chain, and that’s just what God wants.

Being a Good Samaritan means doing what God wants us to do without having to tell the whole world. Life is a world of choices and that is a very good thing. It gives us an opportunity to help make the world a better place. It’s simple, do what you know what is right, and you should be happy with just that.

Runner-up

LIVE IT
by Keani Hin
St. Thomas More School

I personally know an adequate number of cordial people. For some, their whole lives are dedicated to serving others. Yet there are some people who just do the little things but do as much good as the people who work for the big things. Mother Teresa never performed any miracles, but all those tiny things she did so well, made her a Good Samaritan, which then made her a saint. We see people like this everyday. We just don’t realize it.

The day my teacher told me about this essay, I asked my mom for some insight. She told me a story about one of my uncles, with whom I’m very close. She said that in the early years of his career as a police officer, he encountered a young girl. Without the money she needed to support her college education, she became a prostitute. He worked hard to get her off the streets. In the end, all his hard work and devotion paid off. He paid for her flight home to her parents in Hawaii and supported her college education fee. Her parents, of course, were in shock. They thanked him and welcomed their daughter with open arms. This story amazed me. I had no idea he would do that for a complete stranger.

I experienced an incident about a year ago, where a car behind us hit a pedestrian. My dad stopped driving and got out of the car to go help him, while my mom called 911. Without thinking, I hopped out of the car and gave my blanket to my dad to put under the man’s head. Unfortunately, he only spoke Spanish, and we could hardly understand him. People walking by stopped and asked if they could help; a couple drivers stopped and asked the same thing. Thankfully a nurse who could speak a generous amount of Spanish came by and talked to the man, He made him understand what was happening and asked his condition. I couldn’t believe how many random people came to his aid. All these people were just willing to help. It made me happy afterwards that my family could be of assistance.

These experiences have been moving in my life. It’s important to me because it shows me that people don’t always think about themselves. We are there for each other in ways that we didn’t know we could be. We are ready to make changes in our lives and others. This will influence my life in the future because it will put a picture in my mind of how I want to live when I grow up. Some people to whom I look for inspiration are people like the Good Samaritan. It teaches me that I should have fun serving others, and cherish those special times. Some of the smallest adventures in my future just may be the most important moments of my life.

Runner-up

THE GOOD SAMARITAN
by Angelo Petrilli
Good Shepherd School

In the Good Samaritan two people pass a beat up and helpless man before the third person helps him up and pays for his healing. In a way, that’s what happens to me when people make fun of me. Two or three of my friends may pass me by, while one stops and helps me. That one is Evan, and he is a modern time Good Samaritan.

There are many friends in your life that come and go. However, there is always one by your side. Most of your friends stay with you all the way through grade school, but then they’re gone. Some of your friends may use you or even make fun of you, but share the same interests as you. At 13 years old, I have already found that one lasting friend.

Evan is there for me through the good times and, even more importantly, the bad times. For example, sometimes I get too caught up in my reputation. When so-called friends make fun of Evan, I don’t help him. On the other hand, if someone teases me, no matter whom it is, Evan sticks up for me, whether it’s a boy or a girl.

Almost nothing fazes Evan, whether it is a punch to the head or an insult. There is one thing that does bother him. It’s if someone makes fun of a friend of his. He does not care what people think about him. He even sung “Waiting on the World to Change” in front of the entire school. Let’s say one of his friends is being picked on, whether he is involved or not, Evan involves himself. He does not need to use his fists, because he always can respond to anything someone can say to him with his words. He also has never missed one of my birthday parties, and if he has three tickets to a Giants game and his dad can’t come, he invites me. Also, every project where we get to pick the groups, it is always Evan and I.

Evan has many qualities that a modern time Samaritan would have. He is very compassionate and like Jesus, is always willing to help. He showed his quality when he befriended a kid at our school that just couldn’t fit in. The insults he took from fellow classmates about being this kid’s friend were outrageous. However, Evan continued to stick up for him up until the last day he was at our school. Even today if anyone talks cruelly about this student, Evan is there to stick up for him.

In the future, when I have to endure the many hardships in my life, I’m glad I will always have someone to talk about it. Good Samaritans come in different sizes, ages, and shapes. Evan just seems to be the one for Good Shepherd School.