July 3 – Encountering God in the Face of the Other

Gregg’s Reflection

One of the most transformative lessons I’ve learned is that God often comes to me disguised as the person standing right in front of me. It might be someone I love, someone I barely know, or even someone I find difficult to be around. In each face, there is an invitation to see beyond surface impressions and notice the deeper truth—that we are all made in God’s image, each carrying a reflection of the divine.

When I slow down and truly look into another’s eyes, my perspective shifts. The cashier at the grocery store becomes more than a transaction; the neighbor who irritates me becomes a fellow traveler with burdens I may never know. This change doesn’t mean I always agree with people or condone harmful behavior, but it calls me to treat everyone with dignity and compassion, knowing they bear God’s likeness.

I’ve found that when I approach others this way, my heart grows softer, my patience deeper, and my awareness of God more vivid. It’s a spiritual practice—almost a sacrament—to look into the face of another and whisper inwardly, “Christ is here.” Over time, it changes not only how I see others, but also how I understand the mystery of God’s presence in the world.

Scripture

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

Matthew 25:40

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:2

Ancient Quotes

If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.

St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, Homily 50

Modern Quotes

Each time we look at another person and see the face of Christ, our vision becomes a little clearer, our heart a little larger.

Mother Teresa, No Greater Love, p. 45

In Louisville, at the corner of Fourth and Walnut, in the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all those people, that they were mine and I theirs, that we could not be alien to one another even though we were total strangers. It was like waking from a dream of separateness… now I realize what we all are. And if only everybody could realize this! But it cannot be explained. There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun.

Thomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

Journaling Prompts

• Think of a person you find difficult to love. How might seeing them as bearing God’s image change your perspective?
  
  
• Recall a time when someone unexpected revealed God’s presence to you. What did you learn?
  
  
• How can you practice intentionally noticing the divine in everyday encounters this week?

👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 27 Reflection: Mirror/Face of God