Monday Morning Offering: 7/14

Image: George Mendoza

 

Good morning, good God!

 

Still echoing within me, Lord,

the lawyer's question in Sunday's gospel: 

    "But because he wished to justify himself, 

        he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  

 

I'm a justifier, Lord!

I have so many ways to justify

how and when why I limit 

the answer to that question,

    "Who is my neighbor?"

 

So many ways I hedge my notion

of who my neighbor is - and isn't...

 

So many ways I excuse myself

from the implications of Jesus' answer

that everyone is my neighbor

and perhaps especially the one

I'm least inclined to recognize as

my neighbor...

 

So many ways that are part of me

that narrow the scope whom I think

my neighbor might be...

 

So many attitudes, so many biases,

so many quiet, prejudiced preferences

embedded in my mind and heart,

shaping my openness, my awareness,

my readiness to welcome as neighbor

whoever may come my way...

 

Lord, you are the neighbor

I sometimes welcome 

and sometimes reject...

 

You ask for my help

which I sometimes give

and often hold back...

 

You seek my company

which I sometimes share

and sometimes deny...

 

You desire my friendship

which I sometimes offer

and often withhold...

 

You are the neighbor 

I sometimes recognize

and sometimes entirely miss...

 

So this morning, Lord, 

I offer you my justifying heart

for conversion and healing:

    you call me to name as my neighbor

        any and all whose paths cross mine;

    you call me serve as brother or sister

        all whose needs I sense and I see;

    you call me to humbly welcome as neighbor

        those who dislike or annoy me;

    you call me to welcome you, O Lord,

        as the neighbor who always welcomes me...

 

Amen.

 

You may want to take a look on my homily on the 

story of the good Samaritan - which was Jesus'

answer to the man who asked, 

    "And who is my neighbor?'

              

  

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