What do People “see” in YOU?
When people get close to you, what do they see? Not with the physical eyes, but with their interior eyes. In other words, what do people experience when they get close to you? What do they feel? Do they experience peace, gentleness, contentment, hope, faith, or do they experience irritation, edginess, fear, anger, hopelessness, emptiness, sadness, etc. Do they experience a real person or someone who is clothed in a persona? It is something we cannot hide from. Our souls always sell us out, through what we manifest to others and to the world.
Epiphany is the feast of God manifesting himself in Jesus Christ to all the nations. The shepherds from the East saw his star and came to adore and worship him. Through baptism, we all have been incorporated into Christ, so that his light shines in and through each one of us. If we let this light burn brightly through deep communion with him, people around us will experience it in various ways, namely joy, peace, hope, deep faith, courage, perseverance, wisdom, etc. The opposite is true. If other things suppress or even put out or dim the light of Christ within us, we lose our peace with him and with our selves. The result will be agitation, irritation, edginess, fear, anger, selfishness, sadness, and so many other states of psychological and spiritual malaise. We best bring Jesus to the world not through our words of preaching but most effectively through what our souls manifest to others. We can be wonderful preachers but arrogant and highhanded in our relationship with others, so that people instinctively feel judged and unwelcome in our presence. This already empties the Word of its divine power and effectiveness. May we grow deeper in union with him so we can manifest Him to our brothers and sisters. Amen
~Fr Cornelius Okeke