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Just the other day, Wednesday, you invited us, God our Father, to examine how we "look at each other", what do we really see in the other person: friend or a foe, companion or rival, good or evil?*
Today, you teach us to always "respect" one another despite each one's flaws and sins, especially those in authority above us; after all, to "respect" is "to look again" to the other person, from Latin words "re" (again) + "specere" (to look/see). So many times, we fail to respect one another because we have refused to see or look at them as a brother or a sister, most especially as your anointed authority above us or at least find your image and likeness in each one of us.
David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul: “Why do you listen to those who say, ‘David is trying to harm you?’ You see for yourself today that the Lord just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave. I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead. I decided, ‘I will not raise a hand against my lord for he is the Lord’s anointed and a father to me.’ Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold . Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you, see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion.’”
1 Samuel 24:9-12
Make us like David, full of nobility in his respect even to an enemy! While it is a given that we must respect one another as your beloved children, O God, perhaps respect is truly earned most by the one giving respect to someone who had lost respect to others and self!
Enable us to imitate your Son Jesus Christ full of respect to the Twelve men he had chosen to be his apostles even if he knew they were of diverse backgrounds and most of all, one of them would betray him. But, that is respect to the highest degree, Lord, when you choose to always respect us and our choices in life.
O blessed St. Agnes, martyred at so young an age, pray for us to be always pure like you, respectful before God and everyone, including our persecutors! Amen.
*https://lordmychef.com/2022/01/18/how-do-we-look-at-each-other/
