Respect (10/16/2024)

Yesterday, our parish hosted a welcoming social for our newest priest after the morning Mass. I had the pleasure of helping with hospitality. I was working behind the pass-through window in the kitchen area when a young mother with four of her sons came up to the serving table and beverage station. I spoke to them, calling them by name. The youngest seemed perplexed that I knew his name. So, I introduced myself, “My name is Kate.”

Later, as I was working in the kitchen cleaning up, the mom appeared. She said she wanted to talk to me. Then she explained that she’s trying to teach her sons to be respectful. She wanted to tell her sons to call me Mrs. Wiskus. I must admit that she might have been alarmed by my huge smile. I was delighted to hear of her desire for her sons. I apologized for throwing a wrench in her plan, and promised that in the future, with her sons, I would introduce myself as Mrs. Wiskus.

That exchange stayed with me for much of the day. I was thrilled to know that respect played such an important part in her family’s master plan for the children. Our world could use more respect. I remember as a child, I never would have been allowed or even entertained the idea of addressing an adult by their first name. It was always Miss Someone, Mrs. Someone, Mr. Someone.

It seems like a little thing, but is it really? Isn’t respect of others an essential characteristic for us as we journey in this life? That respect applies to the person as well as to their property and their gifts. I wondered in my musings and in my conversations with the LORD throughout yesterday, what would our world look like if we had more respect again? Would the polarized rhetoric cease? Would the rioting and looting end? Would one nation invade another? Would we, our communities, and our world be a better place?

And at the end of the day, in my final conversation with the LORD, I asked the LORD to ramp up my respect and let it temper my thoughts, my words, and my actions.

As we continue our journeys of faith, hope and love in this life, let us seek to be people who respect others, seeking to see them as the LORD, our creator and redeemer, see us. Perhaps with loving prayer and labor, we can be leaven in our world so in need of respect.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.