Welcoming everyone with respect

It is easy to treat someone well who is like you and keep your distance from whoever doesn't fit your mold. The Gospel asks the opposite: welcoming every person with respect, compassion, and delicacy, without exceptions or humiliating labels. Welcoming does not mean approving of everything or giving up what you believe to be true. It means the other person's dignity does not depend on how much they resemble you or how they live. The person comes first; judging actions never justifies despising anyone. It shows in details: how you speak about someone who isn't there, the tone you use with someone different, whether you accompany or exclude. That is where you see if you truly love like Christ.