This Day… With Jesus… Paradise…
Gregory Boyle is a Jesuit Priest- who works with gang members in inner city Los Angles. I loved his book, Tattoos on the Heart, and I was struck by this quote. He said, “A mantra I use often, to keep me focused in the delight in the person in front of me, comes from an unlikely place. I find it in Jesus’s words to the good thief nailed next to him. He essentially says, ‘This day… with me… Paradise.’ It’s not just a promise of things to come; it is a promise for the here and now… with Him.. on this day, in fact… paradise. God, right there, today, in the person in front of me, joy beyond beholding, this day… Paradise. You delight in what is before you today in Christ.”
We do know from the gospels, that when Jesus appears to people after the resurrection, he’s not always recognizable. Mary Magdalene thinks he’s the gardener. The disciples on the walk to Emmaus thought he was a stranger. Jesus also promised that when we take care of people in need, he would be there. He says, “Whatever you’ve done to the least of these who are my brothers and sisters, you’ve done it to me (see Matthew 25).
In that sense, we never know when Christ is before us. Similarly, the Quakers believe that there is that of God in each person.
It is also true, that we are often looking for Paradise elsewhere. We fail to see the delight and the joy that God has placed before us at any given moment.
What if we were to remember this mantra?
This day… right here, right now. With me… is Jesus… in, around, and through this person sitting in front of me… Paradise…
I wonder how our interactions might change… I wonder how our hearts might change… I wonder what delight and joy we might experience…
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, grant us the awareness to see you in the face of all we meet this day. As we recognize your presence, may we experience your grace and love anew. Amen.

Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio