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Buenos Aires, Sunday, June 25, 2006

Father Oscar Pezzarini

Not to be deceived by appearance

How often we become conditioned by what we have at sight and supported by this we make some verdict, discredit, or simply do not listen, perhaps depriving ourselves from learning many things which could be taught to us! Not even to mention many of our leaders, when they talk about others and reject them because of their “past” or because of the position they hold or once held, or because they profess a certain religion, have these or those ideas, or simply because someone thinks in a different way, or just “does not think like I do”. I believe we all support the better part of our thoughts on a first impression on what's at sight, on external things, and no one thinks much about how many things could change or be different if we realized that what matters is not clothing, external looks, or if someone's hair is long or short as it mattered in other times, but what is important is what the other person thinks, although it may not agree with my own way of thinking, but what the other person thinks is important because of what she communicates, in short what the person “is”, not what we appreciate from the outside.

Being deceived by appearance and based on this stating judgements and disapproval became quite common in our days. It is no longer of importance what people say, think or do, instead, this is often conditioned on appearance, on external looks, or on the “social”, “ideologic”, or “political” condition of the person in front of us.

How often we become conditioned by what we have at sight and supported by this we make some verdict, discredit, or simply do not listen, perhaps depriving ourselves from learning many things which could be taught to us!

We see a kid begging or “working” on the street, perhaps juggling so someone throws a coin at him, and his “looks” already makes us presuppose a lot of things about his life, his family, what they do, why he is on the street, and we will state we know “for sure” how he will spend the money others may give to him.

Not even to mention many of our leaders, when they talk about others and reject them because of their “past” or because of the position they hold or once held, or because they profess a certain religion, have these or those ideas, or simply because someone thinks in a different way, or just “does not think like I do”.

I believe we all support the better part of our thoughts on a first impression on what's at sight, on external things, and no one thinks much about how many things could change or be different if we realized that what matters is not clothing, external looks, or if someone's hair is long or short as it mattered in other times, but what is important is what the other person thinks, although it may not agree with my own way of thinking, but what the other person thinks is important because of what she communicates, in short what the person “is”, not what we appreciate from the outside.

Really, what matters is “what's in the heart”, if we have a heart which means well, if it is a pure heart, not if our clothing is of this or that color, or this or that features, if someone's hair is long or short, or if he or she thinks this or that way, or belongs to a certain religion or ideology.

Once we start looking at what is in the “inside” rather than on the “outside” this will be a sign we have begun being protagonists of a “true” change.

Father Oscar Pezzarini
Provincial Superior of the Work of Don Orione in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico

Father Oscar Pezzarini together with Fr. Leonardo Abregú makes us reflect on Saturdays from 8 to 12 AM (GMT-03:00)with "VENTANA A LA VIDA", the Don Orione radio program he conducts on FM PROVIDENCIA, 90.3 MHz together with some residents of the Claypole Cottolengo (Raúl Romero, María Laura Andrada, Alberto Zoroch, Américo Torres), with the production of Roberto Beluzzo and Ignacio Cavalli as technical operator. You can also listen to FM PROVIDENCIA by clicking here.

Pequeño Cottolengo Don Orione 0800-333-6746 in Argentina, or +54 (11) 4268-7722 from abroad.

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