The Good Samaritan

Yesterday was Viernes de Samaritana and the city was bustling, overflowing with happy people with one thing in common. They were all sharing with each other. What a concept. Throughout Mexico people were sharing food and drink and acting out the parable of the Good Samaritan.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn in Jericho and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
Throughout the city, people had set up tables and stalls to serve drinks and ices to anyone and everyone. They spared no expenses. Everything was rich in taste and so bountiful that people carried home pitchers of liquids.

And the tables or samaritanas were everywhere.

People poured into the streets and enjoyed the food and drink and each other’s friendliness and generosity.
There was a wonderful selection of drinks from horchata, (made with rice, almonds, cinnamon and sugar,) tepeche (with pineapple, piloncillo y canela or cane sugar and cinnamon) and las aguas, the sweet waters, horchata con tuna (prickly pear cactus fruit,) jamaica, (hibiscus,) chilacayota (with pineapple and squash,) lemon, melón, watermelon, mango, tamarind, the list seemed endless.
We simply basked in the joy and happiness, as did everyone else.
What a country. Viva Mexico!