The Face of Jesus

Today’s Message was written by friend Chaplain Bob Griffiths.

In his book Sources of Strength, President Jimmy Carter wrote about interviewing Eloy Cruz, a Cuban pastor, who had gained tremendous respect among poor immigrants from Puerto Rico. He had a thriving ministry. Carter asked him, “What is the secret to your success?” Pastor Cruz replied, “Señor Jimmy, we need to have only two loves for our lives: love for God and love for the person who happens to be in front of us at any time.”

I was visiting an Episcopal priest friend one weekend who had started a homeless ministry in midtown Atlanta at the request of the Bishop. The Sunday service was at 1 pm, followed by free lunch for the attendees. During the exchange of the Peace, each of us helping with the service was asked to shake hands with every homeless person present. Not always easy to do, as there were 50-75 of them. As I made my way through the group, I encountered an older black man in a wheelchair. It was a chilly late October day, and he had a sock on each hand for warmth. So I reached out my hand as I said “The peace of the Lord be with you, my brother.” And he took my hand and looked up at me with tears in his eyes and there, dear friends of Dial Hope, was the face of Jesus.  

May you and I try to remember that perhaps, just perhaps, Jesus is there in that person standing in front of us at any point in time. 

Let us pray: Loving God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us to talk with each other without bitterness or unpleasantness. Help us to see you in those we meet, and to be grateful for the many ways you reveal yourself to us. With the help of you and of your loving son.