Encountering Christ in the Gospels—Meeting Christ on the Road

There are moments in the Gospels when an encounter changes everything. A word. A pause long enough for grace to enter. When I sit with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), I often place myself in the story, not as the one who has it all together, but as the one lying on the side of the road.

Wounded. Tired. In need of someone to notice.

In Ignatian prayer, I imagine the scene slowly. The heat of the road. The silence after being passed by others. The ache of being unseen. And then someone stops.

The Samaritan.

He sees. He draws near. He tends to wounds. He lifts. He stays.

And in that moment of prayer, something shifts. The Samaritan is no longer just a character in a parable; I begin to recognize the face of Christ.

What the Encounter Reveals

What happens when you meet Jesus face-to-face?

For me, this encounter reveals a God who does not pass by. A God who notices what others overlook. A God who moves toward suffering, not away from it. The Risen Christ, whom we celebrate in this Easter season, is not distant or abstract. He is alive and still drawing near to our wounds, our questions, and our quiet longings.

And yet, this encounter also reveals something about me.

There are times when I am the one in need, waiting, hoping someone will stop. There are also times when I walk past. Times when I am too busy, too distracted, or too unsure to draw near to another’s pain. Sitting with this Gospel, I am gently invited to notice both realities without judgment, but with honesty.

In prayer, I hear Jesus ask, “Will you stay?” Will you see? Will you love as I love?”

The Good Samaritan becomes more than a story with a moral; it becomes an invitation into union with Christ. To love as he loves is to be moved with compassion, to allow our hearts to be interrupted, and to trust that even small acts of care participate in something much larger: the healing work of God.

An Invitation to Enter the Story

As we continue in this Easter season, I invite you to enter this story.

Place yourself along the road.

Notice what you see, what you feel, what stirs within you.

Where is Jesus in the scene?

Is he the one who comes toward you with tenderness?

Is he inviting you to draw near to someone in your life?

Is he revealing a place in you that needs healing?

Stay there for a moment.

Listen.

The Risen Christ is always speaking, not in grand gestures, but often in quiet, personal ways: in the stillness of prayer, in the movement of compassion, in the courage to stop when it would be easier to keep going.

Perhaps the invitation is simple: to notice, to draw near, to love.

And in doing so, we may find that the encounter we thought we were entering is already unfolding within us.

Going Deeper

• Reacquaint yourself with Imaginative Prayer. Is this a tool you use regularly? Is God inviting you to build familiarity with this prayer tool in your personal prayer practice?

• Spend time with another reflection on the Good Samaritan. Give yourself space to hear how God might be inviting you to encounter this story more deeply.

• Read more about Ignatian prayer with this resource, An Ignatian Introduction to Prayer: Scriptural Reflections According to the Spiritual Exercises by Timothy M. Gallagher.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash.

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Liz Aceves

Liz Aceves is a retreat facilitator and spiritual companion whose ministry centers on creating spaces for people to encounter God through prayer, reflection, and community. As Community Coordinator for Ignatian Ministries, Liz helps lead and organize virtual prayer groups, spiritual book clubs, and retreat offerings that support individuals in deepening their relationship with God. She also serves on Ignatian Ministries apostolic board committee.

She has co-facilitated Advent and Lent retreats, both virtually and in person, and she finds great joy in accompanying others on their spiritual journeys through the prayer practices of Ignatian Spirituality. Liz’s own spiritual life has been shaped by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, which continue to ground her in ministry and prayer.

She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Pastoral Studies through the Loyola Institute for Ministry at Loyola University New Orleans, further deepening her formation and commitment to lay ministry as a Catholic school educator with a decade of experience teaching Spanish. Her love for working with children and teaching them about their faith and language has been a constant source of inspiration. Liz believes that learning a second language is essential in fostering acceptance and understanding among people of different cultures. Liz lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons and enjoys reading, hiking, and traveling.