When we forget whom we see or meet, their inner dignity

Never forget that each of your brothers, within himself, carries something precious – the soul. Therefore, my children, love all those who do not know my Son, so that through prayer and the love which comes through prayer, they may become better; that the goodness in them could win; that souls could be saved and have eternal life.--- July 2, 2017, Medjugorje Monthly Message to Mirjana

When it is finally understood who or what others are, even those I do not like, fear, or even struggle with because of hatred or contempt; when I finally get it, that each human being is the beloved child of God, it can help me to call upon God for the grace to truly love others.  For me it is easy to forget the sacred quality, the mystery of those I live with, or just pass on the way.  It is easy for me to reduce others to ‘objects’, or ‘things’, perhaps pieces of furniture to be moved around to my likening.   

Objects can be moved out of the way or discarded.  It is a wall of protection that can shield me from the messiness of humanity, helping me not to see into their depths and to experience life through their eyes.  Which is often not pleasant and often quite painful.  For people go through a lot of suffering and inner struggle in their lives.  They are just like me, but unique in how it is played out.

Jesus could not shield himself away from others, hence he never sinned, he always fulfilled the will of the Father, and he always loved, looked deeply and always saved from invisibility those with whom he interacted with every day.  

A face in the crowd

In the crowd, the milling thousands,
people and their humanity are lost,
yet there are times when I see a face,
a woman, a child or an older man, or woman,
rushing along carried by the stream of humanity,
preoccupied with their own worries and pain,
or perhaps reliving some joy or another,
yet to me, it can just be a face,
seen once and then forgotten.

They have no name, just someone rushing by,
or if I am part of the throng
avoiding me, stepping aside
no eye contact, there are too many.

For am I, not just another ‘face’
soon to be forgotten,
a piece of ‘something’
getting in the way?
I too become an object in the eyes of others,
invisible.

Among that rushing river of life
each is a universe unto themselves,
as am I,
and much that is unknown
 to their own inner awareness,
yet before God they are beloved,
eternal beings sought after,
for whom Jesus died.

When I forget my own dignity before God,
that I am God’s beloved,
I also forget to see the depth of those around me.

They become mere objects that get in the way.