Face to Face

We are reading Mother Teresa's No Greater Love in our evening prayer time at home. She frequently uses the phrase "Jesus' distressing disguise in the poor". I immediately relate when I read it. It's the feeling I get when I turn off I-55 to go home, and there is a small group of men and one woman who beg at the intersection. I see them, think "Jesus", and feel distraught. My impulse is to look away. Discomfort proves an effective deterrent to compassion and leads to disengagement. But it has become my discipline to look and see.

There was a praise and worship song we used to sing when I was in youth group with a line that said "we want to see Jesus face to face". When we were singing that song with the lights dimmed and the worship leader swaying with a hand raised and eyes closed, my mind would drift to a beautiful Jesus. I don't recall ever thinking the prayer of that song might be answered at an intersection behind a cardboard sign. One of the things I appreciate about Mother Teresa is how she doesn't try to fix Jesus. She allows him to be who he is in his distressing disguise. She accepts his invitation to enter into this uncomfortable place of love.

Grace and peace,

Rev. Lori Galambos