Culture of Encounter

On his visit to the United States last month, Pope Francis stressed the "culture of encounter" and the necessity of "dialogue."  Many North Americans live very exclusive lives, engaging in conversation with like-minded people with similar backgrounds. We are more comfortable with those who look like we do, talk like we do, and think like we do. Pope Francis models a different kind of behavior. He engages with the homeless, with prisoners, with those with special needs, with the poor. He wants the church to be inclusive and compassionate toward those who are wounded, alienated, or hurting. We need to leave our comfort zones and encounter those who are different from us. This means more than giving a dollar to a homeless person or serving in a food kitchen once in a while. It requires engaging in dialogue with them, listening to their stories, feeling their pain and isolation. We must never be condescending or treat them as lesser than ourselves. We are all on this journey together, all equal in the eyes of God. When we leave our privileged positions and really get to know those who are "different," we begin to understand the injustices in our economic system and what keeps people from succeeding. With our eyes opened, we might change a few of our biases and prejudices and act like we all belong to one human family.