Loving the unlovable person

What is it that enables us to have eternal life?  What is the one thing that will enable us to live forever in the Kingdom of God?  For Jesus, it’s pretty simple.  Treat every single person you meet at if they were Jesus Christ.  Whatever you do for God’s people, you do for God.  “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25:31-46)

This is easier said than done.  Most of us can say this verse from memory without really even thinking about it.  Yet, it’s difficult to see Christ in every single person.  Where is Christ in a man who murders his two little boys in a fire?  Where is Christ in an employer who consciously underpays employees in order to make more money for him or herself?  Where is God in the person who cuts you off in traffic or who bullies you?  Where is God in the person who treats you as an object rather than with the dignity you deserve?  Where is God in the celebrity of the week who denounces the very existence of Him?  Or worse, the one who believes He exists but mocks Him anyway?   

As hard as it is to believe, God is in every single one of these people.  Genesis tells us that we are created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27).   Jesus takes this one step further and tells us that not only are we created in the image of God, but we must treat each other as the image we are. God loves each one of us deeply, personally, and passionately.  So too, are we to treat the world around us.  It’s really difficult, but that’s where faith in God, our hope in Christ, and the charity of Holy Spirit that we receive at Baptism and Confirmation comes to the rescue, if we but let go of ourselves and let Him guide us.