Mind the gap!

"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God."
Matthew 22:21

I usually just pay attention to the first part of Jesus' statement here--give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. But as I reflected on this Gospel, I paid more attention to the second part--about paying to God what belongs to God. I wondered, What belongs to God? What does God want from me? I've been getting rid of a lot of stuff lately; is that what God wants? My mother's china? In the Franciscan Way course I'm taking online the answer is spelled out beautifully. God desires that we see all living things with God's eyes of love. God wants us to close the gap between ourselves and all living things...we are all One. So when I revisited what God wants from me it was fairly clear, though not easy. God wants me to close the gap with others, especially those with whom I disagree or with whom I may struggle. I thought of that expression in the UK around the public trains, "Mind the gap!" I decided to make it a little mantra, reminding me that my differences with others are in my own mind. In God's eyes, we are all loved and treasured beyond our own imaginations. We are all creations of the Living God, who loves every cell ever created.  Love, heidi