See the Face of Christ in Everyone You Encounter

Recently I had a heartfelt conversation with my best friend. It was special to discuss life and to help one another asses where we were at on our faith journey. It was an eye opening experience for me because I realized I needed to change. For most of my life I have been a very devout and committed Christian. I believe in going to Mass every Sunday in order to receive the body and blood of Christ as spiritual nourishment. Like many people, my walk with the Lord has had its ups and it's downs but God is always there with loving arms, especially when I am most down. I would consider myself a halfway decent person. I know that I am certainly not perfect, even though I do strive for perfection. However, I recently became aware of something that needed to change. What needed to change was ME! I am sad to say that I have been judgmental of certain people and groups of people. I have judged others because of their actions and life style choices. I have separted myself from people and thought them as no good and sinful. I have also held things agains my fellow brothers and sisters. What a grave thing. Thankfully, my best friend has awaken me to this harmful pit I had fallen into. I am now working to suspend judgement and accept others for their differences, to tolerate people and their choices, and to be more open minded toward things that I have not ser given a chance. I am striving to see the face of Christ in others and I urge you to do the same. In the gospels Jesus goes into the temple and cleans house by overturning the tables of the money changers and people who were selling there. "Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, 'Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!'" (John 2;16) the truth is we could all use a little house cleaning of our temples. For me this has meant becoming consciously aware of the groups of people, individuals and ways of life I have judged wrongly for years. After all, there is one judge in Jesus Christ. I am now looking at others with new eyes and seeing Christ in them. I am no longer blinded by my own falsities and predispositions, but can now see the goodness in them and love them the way they deserve to be loved. Thankfully my friend helped me to realize this. I challenge and urge you to look for the good in others, suspend all judgement, give them a chance, and see Christ Jesus in them. When you do that you will be able to love unconditionally. My friend has taken this holy approach and what a joyous person she is. It is my hope to have this joy and feel the love of God who is truly present today in our world. He is in our midst it is a matter of seeing the Lord in all of our brothers and sisters.