Divine Filiation

Hello, hello. :) So sorry I've been gone for so long - my schedule has been slightly overwhelming for the last few months. But here I am - haha.

Anyway. The idea for this blog post came to me in the car today as my dad and I were driving home from delivering food to a hunger center. I also have to credit God's timing here, because we have been discussing the gift of Piety in Theology recently, so this couldn't have come at a better time.

So here's my story. My dad and I were taking food down to E. 140 St. and Union (for those of you not from here, it's a pretty bad neighborhood). We had about seven boxes of food from Heinen's in our backseat and trunk, and it was just the two of us. So we got to the hunger center and it didn't look like there was anyone else around to help us bring them in. All of the sudden a young-ish gentleman with a shopping cart and slightly oversized clothes came by. Since I'm young, weak, and easily intimidated, I was a little cautious about being separated from my dad. I feel that was a natural response, but I realized that I didn't really trust this man even though I had absolutely no reason to conclude anything about him. As I was walking out of the building to grab another box I thought "Lord, help me to see him as he is and not what the stereotype of his situation says." He helped us carry some boxes in, and then my dad and I left. In the car on the way home my dad commented about how he thought the man was going to ask him for money. I thought for a second and realized that we both lumped him into a stereotype of what people say about the homeless, or the people in the "ghetto".

Blessed Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor, sick, dying, and helpless in Calcutta, never once lumping anyone into a stereotype. Was she always completely solid in her faith and her trust? No, but she didn't give up. Mother Teresa is the person we should all strive to be. We have to see all our neighbors as our brothers and sisters with God as our Father.

We always say that people shouldn't stereotype. I know I say it a lot. But that is exactly what I did today. We don't want people to stereotype us. We don't think about our actions.

Just a thought. :) Have a great week!