Heavenly Father

     Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and was rushing home to cook dinner,  help with homework,  do the laundry  and spend a few precious moments with her children.

    Help us remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

    Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

   Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

    Heavenly Father, remind us each day that of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love.  It is not enough to share that love with those  we hold dear.  Open our hearts not just to those who are close to us but to ALL humanity.  Let us be slow to judgment and quick to forgiveness and patience and empathy and love.

AMEN!!