Good Old Mideastern Food
A little bit about the Gospel story for today. As they would often do the Pharisees approach Jesus with a question. The question is a set up. They’re using it as bate to trap Jesus. To gain the upper hand. To take control. So, they ask Jesus. “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”
In a neighborhood somewhere in mid America a different question is asked. Unlike the Pharisees this question is not a trap. It’s sincere. “Would you like to try some homecooked Mideastern food?”
That’s how it all started. A Moslem family had just moved into a new neighborhood. But they sensed people were uptight about their new neighbors. So, rather than walk around wondering about it they initiated with a plan. They went door to door inviting two families at a time to sample some of their homecooked Mideastern food.
People accepted the invitation and soon the Moslem family had gone through the whole neighborhood with everyone having a chance to sample an authentic meal of Mideastern delicacies.
The change in the neighborhood was remarkable. Not only did people became good friends with this family they were once afraid of. But more than that the whole neighborhood grew closer, closer than they’d ever been. Maybe that’s how it works. The more we get to know each other the less reason there is to be afraid of each other. I know this for myself. When I actually get to know Packer fans, I find out they’re really not bad people. All you Packer fans out there, love you guys.
A Moslem family initiates with a simple act of kindness and a neighborhood that was once uptight about their new neighbors is transformed. Like the Moslem family we can initiate with simple acts of kindness. And when we do it’s not just our neighbors and those we don’t know who are changed. We’re the ones who are changed.
The first reading from Genesis tells us that it is not good for us humans to be alone. Yet we can isolate when we stay to ourselves content to be cautious of those who are different than us.
But as the Book of Hebrews, today’s second reading reminds us, the one who has shared in our humanity is now one with us. Alnd through his Spirt at work in us we can now be one as brothers and sister to each other.
In this election year suspicion of each other can run high. That’s why more than ever like the Moslem family we need to look for opportunities to initiate with simple acts of loving kindness. Sometimes that’s all it takes. And as citizens of this country who happen to be followers of Jesus, why would we not be first in line to help make that happen.
