It’s important to keep our eyes open. Otherwise, we can easily dismiss things that truly require our attention. Whether it is someone needing care, a wrong that must be rectified, an injustice that must be addressed, or someone in need of a helping hand, the lens through which we view life (and even the rules by which we live) can prevent us from stopping and acting. Whether it’s an obsession with being on time, a compulsion to complete tasks according to a schedule, or a rigidity with not breaking a law or fear of taking a risk, we miss daily opportunities to show mercy. We often fail in our duty to be a good neighbor, especially when it involves brothers and sisters remote from us whom we have never met. The pain of the world is our pain. God’s law of love, mercy, and compassion is not something remote. It’s already within us and very near. All we have to do is open our eyes and carry it out.