There is a chapter of the TV show the “Simpsons” in which Bart befriends a Muslim boy and Homero, Bart’s father, conditioned by the prejudices of society is suspect of the Middle East Muslim family because of their migrant status. In short, the episode highlights the prejudices and conditioning that are arbitrarily created within society due to race, religion, and gender.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus, through various parables, invites us to cleanse our eyes, minds, and hearts of the judgments and prejudices that we create against others.
In the community of the kingdom of God we are not to be prosecutors of one another. It is important that we be self-critical of our own attitudes. In a world that needs love and solidarity towards immigrants and marginalized people, it is unacceptable to harbor hateful attitudes towards other human beings. We are called to live in fraternity. We are all sons and daughters of God. We all are brothers and sisters.
Let us ask God to help us be living examples of the prayer in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi:
“Lord make me an instrument of your peace,
where there is hatred let me sow love,
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light.
O Divine master grant that I may
not so much seek to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love.”