Sacred Relationships: Discovery in the Divine in Our Connections

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.… I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.”​ —Matthew 25:35–36, 40 (NET) 

In this passage, Jesus identifies himself with the hungry, the poor, the stranger, the sick, and the imprisoned—those whom society often overlooks or avoids. These are the desperate, the broken, the marginalized, the underbelly of society: people who may have made poor choices and mistakes. They may not look attractive, smell pleasant, or act in ways we find agreeable. Yet Jesus calls them his brothers and sisters; he names them family.

If Jesus is divine, then what about those with whom he so deeply identifies? He insists that whatever we do for them, we do for him. He recognized the image of God in every individual. He did not see a faceless crowd of failures or sinners; he saw persons—unique expressions of the Creator’s life. 

What separates us from them? What separated Jesus from them? Nothing. Jesus saw no division, he saw commonality. And, if he was in union with them, then so are we. He erased the false boundaries of “us” and “them.” The very idea of “us” and “them” is antithetical to the heart of Christ. We all share in the same humanity and drink from the same Divine source of life. As Jesus said, “I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:20). 

And it is not just the “least.” By identification, Jesus is saying there is no “least.” All are important and valuable. Everyone, every relationship in our lives is sacred—those who love us and those who do not; those we agree with and those we oppose; those who are kind and those who are harsh. It includes spouses and ex-spouses, children and parents, bosses and co-workers, Democrats and Republicans, atheists and fundamentalists. There are no outsiders in God’s family.

Let’s pause for a moment of  AWE  in light of this mystery: 

• Aware – Bring to mind someone with whom you struggle in relationship.
• Wonder – Imagine the light of Christ within them. Let yourself be amazed that they, too, are fully loved by God.
• Express – In your heart, extend love toward them.

When we begin to see the Divine presence in each person, our relationships are transformed. May our eyes be opened to the sacredness of every life, and may we engage with one another in the spirit of love and reverence.

• Henri Nouwen: “True relationships are rooted in God, who binds us in love.” (Life of the Beloved)

• Julian of Norwich: “In loving others, we love God, who is the source of all love.” (Revelations of Divine Love)

• Bhagavad Gita 6:29: “He who sees the Self in all beings and all beings in the Self is never separated from the Eternal.”

• John 13:34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV)

AWE
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Community is the place where the sacred is shared, and love grows.” (Life Together)

• Chief Seattle: “All things are bound together; all things connect. What you do to the web, you do to yourself.” (Speech of 1854)

• Tao Te Ching 49: “The sage has no heart of their own; they take the heart of others as their own.”

• Ephesians 4:2-3: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (NIV)

AWE
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Simone Weil: “True connection is a reflection of divine grace, uniting us in the eternal.” (Gravity and Grace) 

• Brené Brown (New Source): “Connection is why we’re here; it gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” (The Gifts of Imperfection) 

• The Upanishads 2.2.7: “The thread of connection runs through all, binding the soul to the divine.” 1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (NIV)

AWE
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• C.S. Lewis: “Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” (The Four Loves)

• Kahlil Gibran: “Your friend is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.” (The Prophet)

• Rumi: “Be a friend to all, and you will never walk alone, for God is in your companions.” (The Essential Rumi)

• Proverbs 17:17: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (NIV)

AWE
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• St. Irenaeus: “The glory of God is revealed in our relationships, not just with others, but with all creation.” (Against Heresies)

• Maximus the Confessor: “All creation is interconnected in Christ, who unites all things to Himself.” (Ambigua to John)

• Albert Schweitzer: “Ethics is nothing other than reverence for life in all its forms.” (Reverence for Life)

• Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (NIV)

AWE
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?

• Julian of Norwich: “In loving others, we love God, who is the source of all love.” (Revelations of Divine Love)

• Tao Te Ching 49: “The sage has no heart of their own; they take the heart of others as their own.”

• Brené Brown (New Source): “Connection is why we’re here; it gives purpose and meaning to our lives.” (The Gifts of Imperfection)

• Rumi: “Be a friend to all, and you will never walk alone, for God is in your companions.” (The Essential Rumi)

• Maximus the Confessor: “All creation is interconnected in Christ, who unites all things to Himself.” (Ambigua to John)

• John 13:34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV)

AWE
Aware.  Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder.  Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience.  What is your next step?