Reflection
Every Gospel story is an invitation to conversion. Christianity should have a humanizing influence upon those who claim to espouse its teachings and follow Jesus. The way we treat people is a good measure of the depth of our commitment. Jesus treated others with respect. He valued them as individuals and cared for them as persons. Nowhere is it recorded that Jesus tried to control, manipulate or exclude others as a condition for relationship with him. Our faith encourages usto treatothers as we would want to be treated. The display of disdain for whole groups of people by public figures or religious leaders who claim to be Christian is a contradiction. There is no room, for elitism or disrespect in Christianity.
Prayer
Help me to treat others with the same respect and compassion which you have shown.
Action
I will examine my own views and prejudices and resolve not to act judgmentally or be quick to condemn others.
Suggested Reading
Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman
who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle.
They said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught
in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?”
They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger.
But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them,
“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders.
John 8: 1-11
The proclamation of the saving love of God comes before moral and religious imperatives. Today sometimes it seems that the opposite order is prevailing.
Pope Francis
You tend to create a God who is just like you—whereas it was supposed to be the other way around.
Richard Rohr
Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves.
U. Thant
Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.
Jesse Jackson
We don’t need to share the same opinions as others, but we need to be respectful.
Taylor Swift
This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
The true measure of a man is how he treats you when others are not looking.
Alessandra Torre
When we continue to hate, we continue to lose. When we amplify mutual respect and love, we have a lot to gain. Quite simply, there is more for us to gain through love than hate.
Suzy Kassem
A great relationship is about two things, first, find out the similarities, second, respect the differences.
Unknown
Respect is love in plain clothes.
Frankie Byrne