In God, see your brother. In your brother see God
We can expect some great Christophany, revelation of Christ, in our lives and not recognize that He has come with the Gospel in someone we would not expect - in another person who may not look like Jesus at first glance.
He lived among them for thirty years. They knew him well. They saw him growing up, having fun, working, and living. They passed him daily in the streets of Nazareth. They also knew his family and relatives. In their eyes, he was just a neighbor, one of them, a brother. When he began his public ministry and one day he returned to his hometown to teach and work miracles there, only few accepted him as a prophet. They ignored him. They had their ideas about the Messiah coming to them in some majestic way.
Meanwhile, Jesus, whom they knew well, appeared. They could not believe that it was He who "comes in the name of the Lord." A God who does not come down from Heaven on a luminous cloud, but comes around the corner, wearing carpenters' work clothes, with loose hair and saying: "good morning". In fact, it is possible not to recognize Him and pass by.
Kiko Argüello, after he received the inspiration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, painted an icon and this icon is always used in the Neocatechumenal Communities. The inscription on the icon was written in Spanish: "HAY QUE HACER COMUNIDADES CRISTIANAS COMO LA SAGRADA FAMILIA DE NAZARET, QUE VIVAN EN HUMILDAD SENCILLEZ Y ALABANZA; EL OTRO ES CRISTO." This is translated in English as “We have to make Christian Communities like the Holy Family of Nazareth, that live in humility, simplicity and praise; (and where) the other (person) is Christ.” The other is the brother whom you get to know during the many years of working together on the Spiritual Way of formation. A brother who reveals himself over time like cards on the table. After many years, you know his history, his problems, weaknesses, ordinary interests, everyday life. The longer you go together, the less opportunities you have to pretend something in front of another person, to impress other person. The other person is Christ.
In God, see your brother. In your brother see God
Just as Jesus came to Nazareth to teach, so He comes in other people - perhaps difficult, defective, poor, sick, other or the most ordinary of ordinary people. It is in them that he comes to teach us the Gospel, that is, to love. Perhaps we will never have greater prophets sent from God than the people with whom we live in our daily lives: in marriage, in the family, in the neighborhood, peoples whom we meet at work, in the bus, in the shop. They are given to us so that we learn the Gospel: to love, accept, receive others, serve, forgive, be humble and humble ourselves.
You can expect some great Christophany, revelation of Christ, in your life and not recognize that He has come with the Gospel in someone you would not expect - in another person who may not look like Jesus at first glance. One of the sentences of the Desert's Fathers is: "In God, see your brother. See God in your brother”. Nazareth is right next to us and He has just come to Nazareth to teach and do miracles. Yes, you will read this comment and maybe your husband or mom will come into the room in a moment. Maybe in a moment you will leave the house and pass your neighbor, or you are reading it on the bus with unknown people standing next to you. So, I wanted to tell you that you are going to meet Jesus in a moment. At least smile to him.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george