Reflect
“A stranger,” Irish poet William Butler Yeats is supposed to have said, “is a friend I haven’t met yet.” As Catholics, ours is not a circle-the-wagons religion. Our faith calls us to open our hearts and arms to those foreign or unknown to us, recognizing our common humanity, worth, and dignity.
Pray
Lord, tear down this fortress of fear
that I pretend keeps me safe.
May I be brave enough to seek you
and blessed enough to see you
in everyone I meet
and everyone I haven’t met yet.
Help me welcome in the angels
disguised as strangers
just as You welcome us all.
Act
Our pope, bishops, and Catholic tradition are clear: we must show kindness and compassion to strangers, especially the most vulnerable. Whether by supporting immigrants and refugees or simply welcoming a new family to the neighborhood, you can learn this deep truth: for people of faith, there are no strangers.
