Giving and receiving Christ

REMEMBERChrist telling his disciples, “He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me.” (Mt 10, 40) These words clearly show that we are meant to be so identified with Christ that anyone who receives us receives Christ. In another gospel, Christ said everything to acquire the very mind something similar also. “He who and spirit of Christ which are where hears you hears me. He who rejects our identification with Christ takes you rejects me, and he who rejects me place. In fact, we are meant to have rejects him who sent me.” (Lk 10, 16) the very sentiments of Christ as we These words tell us that there has to face all the possible situations of be some kind of organic continuity our life. between Christ and us. The identification with Christ Tremendous words, indeed, should be such that whatever we pointing to a tremendous reality think, say and do, it is always Christ about ourselves! And these words that we perceive, understand, follow are meant not only for the original and live. It is his goodness, wisdom, apostles or for a few people. They mercy, charity, compassion, etc. that are meant for all of us, since we should guide the way we understand are supposed to be patterned after and react to things. The way he Christ, the Son of God who is the reacted to things should also be the perfect image God has of his own self. way we react to them.

Since we have been created in No matter how mundane and God’s image and likeness, we can say technical the things are that we get that we are patterned after Christ. involved in, it should always be Christ We are supposed to be like Christ, or that we give or receive. Not in the as some theologians have described sense of the physical Christ, of course, it, we are supposed to be “alter but rather in his mind and spirit. This Christus,” (another Christ). way, we live out what Christ told his

We can never overemphasize first disciples: “He who receives you our need to be so identified with receives me…” Christ that we really have to do This, of course, will require a

lot of discipline on our part, since we always and strongly tend to be guided only by our human estimation of t hings. We get contented with just staying in that level. And often as a consequence, we find ourselves unable to handle our differences and conflicts, and the many difficulties and mysteries in our life. We find it difficult, if not impossible, to love everyone as we should.

Little by little, but in a lifelong and continuous way, we have to know more about Christ, as he presents himself in the gospels, in the teachings of the Church, in the sacraments, and in the many other acts of piety. We should pursue this path until we can say with St. Paul that we already have the mind of Christ. (cfr. 1 Cor 2, 16) We have to remember that we can never know him enough, no matter how much we study him.

Anyway, we should not worry too much since Christ himself will take care of everything in the end. He will be the one to finish and perfect everything. Ours is simply to try to be with him. We may still commit some mistakes along the way. But if committed in good faith, it will be Christ who will correct them.

We have to overcome the usual awkwardness we feel when we take this truth of our faith seriously and start to act on it. If we simply persist with faith and humility, time will surely come when this identification with Christ becomes second nature to us.

And whatever we think, say and do, whatever we give or receive, it is always Christ who is presented and perceived, followed and lived!/