Prejudice...

Another issue to deal with during Lent is the prejudice that lives within us all. Most of us aren't even aware how deeply rooted our prejudices are. We think we relate well to people who are different from us in color, religion, sexual orientation, or lifestyle but what is our spontaneous reaction? If we're put in an uncomfortable situation what is our first thought? If you spoke at that moment, would your words be kind or would you have a knee-jerk reaction?

Strangers, people different than we are, stir up fear, discomfort, suspicion, and hostility. They make us lose our sense of security just by being "other." Our only hope is to recognize that God loves these "others" as much as He loves us and He calls us to love them in the same way...unconditionally! Once we grasp this reality we can begin to discover that the great variety in being human is an expression of the immense richness of God's heart and our prejudices can gradually disappear.

In the movie "Robin Hood" (starring Kevin Costner) a young English girl asks Morgan Freeman (who is portraying a Muslim) if God had painted him...instead of being shocked, his answer is "No, Allah loves infinite variety"...Praise God that all humans are part of that variety.