Seeing Christ in the face of the poor

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Look beyond appearances

by Javier F. Chento | Jun 17, 2016 | Formation, Reflections | 1 comment

See the following picture. Can you guess what is hidden in it?

They say that only 10% of those who see this image are able to see what is hidden in it. So, if you can not see it, do not worry too much…

Entitled “They can disappear,” the Russian artist Ilja Klemencov hid a giant panda in a black and white zig-zag pattern, designed to support the efforts of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for protecting panda. If you still do not see it, you can try to stay away from the screen, or tilt your head.

Blessed Frederic Ozanam — at only 23! — wrote:

“The poor we see with the eyes of flesh; they are there and we can put finger and hand in their wounds and the scars of the crown of thorns are visible on their foreheads; and at this point incredulity no longer has place, and we should fall at their feet and say with the Apostle, ‘Tu est Dominus et Deus meus’, You, the poor, are my Lord and my God! You are our masters, and we will be your servants. You are for us the sacred images of that God whom we do not see, and not knowing how to love Him otherwise shall we not love Him in your person.”

Letter to Louis Janmot, November 13, 1836.

Those who follow Jesus Christ from the charism inherited from St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, Blessed Frederic Ozanam and many others who came before us, we have learned to see beyond the apparent, to uncover the truth, so often hidden in appearance:

In the poor, we see Jesus Christ.
In injustice, an opportunity to build the Kingdom of God.
In complex situations that billions of poor people in the world are facing, we act so that, through systemic change, we build together a more just and united world.
In the church —as Pope Francis said— “a field hospital after a battle.”
…

What do you “see” when “look” around you? What realities hide a different face, that needs to see the light? What do we, Vincentians, do for this change to occur?

Tags: Images with message

← Sr. Elizabeth Sjoberg: Joy and purpose lead to the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de PaulJune 16: Canonization of St. Vincent de Paul →

1 Comment

Marguerite Broderick on June 20, 2016 at 3:00 pm

I can see the panda when I remove my glasses…now what might that tell me?