People who do not know God's love in their life have difficulty knowing how to be loving toward others. I saw it this week at the Annual Conference sessions. On my way to the book table after one vote had been taken, I came across a young woman seated in the hallway. She was quietly sobbing. The annual conference had just taken a vote and decided not to endorse legislation against hate crimes against certain people in our society.
Fear is such a powerful thing in our culture.
We do not know the stranger in part because we do not accept the grace of God. We are a stranger ourselves to that grace. In this gospel story it says Jesus calls the disciples by name. I think were Jesus to stand among us today he would call us by name and then say, you're called to be disciples today, you're called to accept God's acceptance. God loves each of you with a powerful love and God loves all as God loves each.