“Jesus didn’t condemn the woman involved in the sex trade who was washing his feet. He knew her pure heart. He could see the preciousness of her soul. The “good” folks watching it all were full of judgment. They were self-serving and flush with pride. Not bad guys; they just hadn’t been properly introduced to themselves yet. Truth be told, they were self-absorbed. And, worse, self-assertive. Because we are human, our natural resting place is distracted self-absorption. What the adherents to Baha’i call “the insistent self.” “I’m worried about me.” “I wonder about me.” “I’m anxious about me.”
―
Gregory Boyle,
Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times
