by Return to Me: Lenten Reflections by Holy Cross 2019
“I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have come, and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land…and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.”
I find so much meaning in these sentences. As a parent, I hope to instill in my children a sense of acceptance. We are mindful of discussions about accepting others for who they are, regardless of how they look or where they live or what they wear. As my girls have experienced new places and new people, they have often commented (sometimes at an embarrassing level of volume) on a person’s physical appearance or choice of action or even their religious beliefs. I try to take these times to teach my girls about the vast array of people they will meet — that what makes each person interesting to us is often what might seem “different.” Maybe our first step along the path of acceptance is to open ourselves up to simply learn about others, not to categorize one another into groups, but to truly understand what makes each of us unique.
It seems, however, that there is another important aspect of acceptance. As children, we are curious about differences. Yet as adults, our curiosity can lead to comparison and even judgement. Maybe our second step then, is to truly accept ourselves for who we are and to reflect on what is important to share about yourself with others. If we can feel grateful for the gifts that make us each unique, maybe that will allow us to become more accepting of the beautiful array of differences we see in the people around us.