Lend a Glimpse of Christ

Last Wednesday's readings can be found here.

There is a story about one of Mother Theresa's sisters questioning the amount of prayer she had prescribed for the order. It goes something like this: "Mother," she said, "I can already see Christ in the people we serve. I wish I had more time to do more for them." "My daughter," answered Mother Theresa "our prayer is not for us to see Christ in our people, but so that they might recognize Christ in us."

In this gospel, the central problem is a failure on the part of the people to truly recognize Christ for who he really was. Yes, they see him. Yes, they think they know him. But they do not recognize him as the Son of the Father they claim God to be. They fail to recognize their most dear brother.

Of course, this situation is not confined to the past. Our world today fails again and again to recognize Christ. But if we would say that we truly love Christ, then wouldn't we want to be able to recognize him everywhere that he was? Furthermore, if we are truly grateful for what Christ does in our lives, then shouldn't we want those we love to see him as well? If we do, it seems there are two ways this can happen: we can point him out, and we can reflect his image.

I think this latter method, above all else, is what God wants of us who are privileged to receive the Eucharist every day. Our status as beloved sons and daughters of God demands that we take on one another as beloved sisters and brothers. What greater act of love can we make than to help them to see the Jesus we receive each day?

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!

~J