“You hurt my dignity, Poppa,” complained my six-year-old grandson to his father. The lament so startled me, as we walked near their home outside Tokyo, that I stumbled. When I mentioned it later, my son explained that he and his wife were always sure to stress to their son the need for respect toward all creatures. A proud mom moment.

Within any pastoral ministry, recognizing the innate dignity of all is paramount. When I was chaplain in a local inner-city hospital perhaps the most formational lesson I repeatedly learned was how amazing people were, regardless of their faith tradition (or none), their education and economic status, their race, native language or age. They constantly awed and humbled me. Even though I have always had a wide group of friends, I found myself increasingly touched in that diversity by the beauty of the human soul, and the dignity that signified God dwelling within each.

This unique dignity is also found in the variety of gifts any group brings. Too often when encountering another we assume we know what they are about. Or, we haul along our own unaddressed shadows, hurts or fears, and so seeing the transcending fingerprints in the other becomes far more difficult!

Today in our country the ability to cherish the dignity of each is even more crucial, isn’t it? May our work as pastors and spiritual companions therefore be blessed with this love and respect for the Divine present in all those we encounter.