The Light of Curiosity

Reflect

Today’s moral dualism and tribalism fuels media traffic, political campaigns, and ultimately leads to caricaturing, labeling, and overgeneralizing people who are different from ourselves. St. Francis also navigated a divided age yet was stirred to embrace the “other,” for in the other was the image of Christ. While the Crusades raged in the Holy Land, Francis met with Sultan Malik al-Kamil of Egypt and is said to have become friends with him. While lepers were treated as social outcasts, Francis learned to see beyond their social plight and experience the light of Christ in them.

Pray

When I am tempted to judge another or define them by their ideas,
When rightness reigns over relationship,
When my ego affects my ability to listen, learn, connect,
Help me gaze into their heart and consider their circumstance, story.
Help me not retreat amid disagreement, strife,
but instead let curiosity be my humble guide as I venture
deeper into another’s world.

Act

It is human to judge and for our egos to crave moral superiority. A key to combating this is awareness. When judgment creeps up within you today, pause and pray, “Lord, help me become more humble and curious.”