"Amen, amen I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."
John 13:20
We may wonder, as we read this, who exactly Jesus is "sending" to us? Jesus may certainly be sending us life-long friends, beautiful grandchildren, co-workers who help us do our best. But couldn't Jesus also be sending us the immigrant? The death-row inmate? The alcoholic who can't hold a job? Piggy-backing on yesterday's reading from Edith Stein about no one being a stranger to the Christian, those who we find difficult are, in fact, gifts from Jesus too. How we receive these gifts is how we receive Jesus, and God who sent him. Not too long ago, I had a message in prayer. "I am the most difficult person in your day," Jesus told me. We are to receive these most difficult peeps with open arms and loving hearts. I see this modeled for me whenever I go to the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse. Open arms and loving hearts. Let's use that little phrase as a reminder today of how we are to treat others. Even the hard ones. Love, heidi
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