Seeing Ourselves as the Neighbor

Today’s readings.

In today’s Gospel Jesus responds to the accusation against him with a simple observation: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste.” Division, in any community, often begins with suspicion. We tend to grant ourselves the most generous interpretation of our motives while assuming the worst about others. As we saw in Jesus’ case, even an act of liberation—a man freed from a demon—was reinterpreted by some as something sinister. 

Suspicion has a way of turning obvious good into something threatening. One reason this happens is that we place ourselves at the center. When we hear the command, “love your neighbor as yourself,” we usually imagine ourselves as the one doing the loving while others appear before us as “neighbors.” But humility requires us to reverse the perspective. We are also simply the neighbor standing before someone else’s command to love. When we remember that, suspicion begins to soften. The question shifts from “What is wrong with them?” to “How would I hope to be seen if I were in their place?” A kingdom divided against itself can begin to heal when we learn to step out of the center and see ourselves as one neighbor among others.

Today’s Practice – Almsgiving:

Offer someone the gift of charitable interpretation today. When you are tempted to assume the worst about someone’s words or actions, pause and deliberately assume the best instead. Consider it a small act of generosity toward your neighbor—one that seeks unity rather than division.