Today we continue the discussion on Pope Francis’ theme, Abandoned on the wayside, looking at that question in our imagination:
64. Which of these persons do you identify with? This question, blunt as it is, is direct and incisive. Which of these characters do you resemble? We need to acknowledge that we are constantly tempted to ignore others, especially the weak.
Can we be honest about that answer? Especially when we are unaware of how our behavior affects others in a negative way.
The pope further suggests that human puffery about qualities such as civilization are badly misplaced if we cannot master the godly trait of compassion:
Let us admit that, for all the progress we have made, we are still “illiterate” when it comes to accompanying, caring for and supporting the most frail and vulnerable members of our developed societies. We have become accustomed to looking the other way, passing by, ignoring situations until they affect us directly.
Various complaints about religious liberty strike me as of a kin to this. Mosques attacked, synagogues vandalized, but Christians seem to be silent until offended themselves.
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Catholic Sensibility 