Friend of StrangersEsimerkki

When Jesus is alone with his disciples on the Mount of Olives, he teaches them to treat “one of the least of these as my brothers”.

Anyone who persecutes Christians because they are Christians is persecuting Jesus himself, and anyone who helps Christians in need because they are Christians is helping Jesus himself. That is how strongly Jesus identifies himself with his Church.

Jesus makes a similar point in Matthew chapter 10, where he teaches his disciples that “whoever receives you receives me” and that whoever gives “one of these little ones” a glass of water “because he is a disciple” will “by no means lose his reward.”

Jesus wants Christians to help each other in times of need precisely because we are Christian siblings. When we receive a Christian “stranger” fleeing persecution in their home country, when we hide a Christian facing deportation to countries where Christians face the death penalty, when we open our home and churches to a convert, then we have received, hidden, and welcomed Jesus himself.