Dialogue and ecumenism

I met a Muslim today and we had a great conversation. He had shuttled me back to airport parking when I flew in from St. Louis and was just asking about my flight, etc. I told him that I spent the whole 3 1/2 hours reading a book about the Jesuit order of priests. He was inquiring about our beliefs as Catholics and I began to tell him about Jesus as our Savior. Then He began to share what he believed about Jesus and told me a very interesting story about Jesus and Mary.

I thought it was beautiful that he held Jesus and Mary in such high regard from the perspective that he had in the context of his religion. I wish you could have seen the depth of respect in his eyes and heard it in his voice. No antagonism whatsoever. He knew his faith and he loved it. He asked about my faith and he respected it.

Granted that there are some similarities in beliefs, the fundamental differences are quite drastic. I still enjoyed the dialogue, however - as did he - because I was just allowing him to share so that I could understand. It was not my opportunity to try to preach the truth to him, but our opportunity to meet on a bridge between Christian and Muslim.

So I tried to give him a tip but he refused. He said he was just grateful for the conversation. This particular encounter inspired me because this man spoke with more love from his heart for God to a stranger than I do to my dearest friends.

Thank you, Lord God, for that "appointment". As brief as it was, I think we both left a little bit better off...

"Man's mercy is for his neighbor but the compassion of the Lord reaches all people." (Sirach 18:13a)