Showing compassion to our political rivals

I read about an elderly lady who fell and hit her head on the sidewalk. A woman rushed over with an umbrella to shield the lady from the sun, while a man retrieved a jacket from his car to cushion her head.

Another woman came out of a restaurant with a bucket of cool water and a rag to place on the woman’s forehead, while someone else provided towels beneath her arms.

The woman who fell was white, while the various helpers were African-American, white, Hispanic and Asian. Rather than debating whether she was worthy of their help, they put into practice what we would call human decency and compassion.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, many people ignore a man lying by the roadside, who has been robbed and wounded by thieves. Perhaps they were too busy or maybe they didn’t like his looks.

The man who finally stops to help sees the fellow as his neighbor, despite racial or religious differences. Christ pointed to the Samaritan as an example for us: “Go and do likewise.”

Notice Christ didn’t say to first check whether the victim was rich or poor, conservative or liberal, atheist or believer. I can’t imagine him suggesting we find out the victim’s stance on climate change, abortion, immigration or tax reform.

Our country is so divided that some family members have stopped talking with each other, because their political beliefs are different. I know a grandmother who no longer hears from her grandson, because he has deemed her too conservative.

Some social media posts drip with venomous hatred toward anyone with a contrasting viewpoint. Reasoned, respectful discussion has succumbed to furious tweets, angry name- calling and in some cases, riots.

There is a gorgeous poem “As Kingfishers Catch Fire,” that includes the line: “Christ plays in ten thousand places,” suggesting we find God everywhere. In many monasteries, every stranger that knocks on the door is welcomed as another Christ, because he said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

For many of us, the wounded stranger on the roadside stands for people who are different from us because of their color, religion or social class. The stranger also symbolizes the relatives and friends we’ve left behind because of conflicting political beliefs.

Would you help a guy wearing a Republican party hat? Would you help a woman wearing a shirt showing support for the Democratic party? Christ asked a soul- stirring question: “What good does it do if a man gains the whole world, but loses his soul?”

We can tailor this to contemporary times: “What is the point of having the best job, the poshest home and the fanciest car, if we turn our back on others?”

We are all made in the image of God, no matter what our color, ethnic background — or political stance.

We become the best versions of ourselves, when we act with human decency and compassion, extended to everyone, despite differences.

And let’s face it — if the Good Samaritans who saw the old woman on the sidewalk had decided to find out which political party she supported before helping her, she might still be lying there.