Today’s Gospel is the Transfiguration.

Where the Jesus that everyone knows, the one the Apostles have been with day in and day out. To the point that He’s just part of their normal. Is seen for who He really is.

God.

It’s something we need to be reminded to do. Often.

To look beyond appearances. To see who people really are. Starting with Jesus.

And then to look at each other, from His holy perspective, to see who all of us really are.

C.S. Lewis said it well:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.

All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.

It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people.

You have never talked to a mere mortal.

Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.

But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.

Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

(In case you wondered just how far the whole “made in the likeness and image of God” thing goes.)

Today’s Gospel is the Transfiguration.

Where the Jesus that everyone knows, the one the Apostles have been with day in and day out. To the point that He’s just part of their normal. Is seen for who He really is.

God.

It’s something we need to be reminded to do. Often.

To look beyond appearances. To see who people really are. Starting with Jesus.

And then to look at each other, from His holy perspective, to see who all of us really are.

C.S. Lewis said it well:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.

All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.

It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people.

You have never talked to a mere mortal.

Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.

But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.

Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

(In case you wondered just how far the whole “made in the likeness and image of God” thing goes.)

(for someone who doesn’t know who they’re really dealing with)

Today’s Gospel is the Transfiguration.

Where the Jesus that everyone knows, the one the Apostles have been with day in and day out. To the point that He’s just part of their normal. Is seen for who He really is.

God.

It’s something we need to be reminded to do. Often.

To look beyond appearances. To see who people really are. Starting with Jesus.

And then to look at each other, from His holy perspective, to see who all of us really are.

C.S. Lewis said it well:

“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.

All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.

It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people.

You have never talked to a mere mortal.

Nations, cultures, arts, civilization—these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.

But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit—immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.

Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses.”

(In case you wondered just how far the whole “made in the likeness and image of God” thing goes.)

I was at the glasses place, getting my eyes checked. Talking with the tech who was running the exams, about nothing in particular.

Until she said, “Are you always this nice?” I didn’t know how to respond.

After an awkward silence, she told me about the guy before me. Who – given how he treated her and the garbage he dumped on her – was either having the worst day in his life or was just a raging jerk.

It got me to thinking. About how you and I treat other people.

About how nothing that you and I say or do to each other, no matter how small, is inconsequential. None of it is neutral.

Why? It has everything to do with this simple fact: you and I – and everyone that we have ever met or will ever meet – are made in the likeness and image of God. Every person who ever has been, whoever is, and whoever will be is God’s creation and is destined for eternity.

It’s a profound reality, one that we all too easily ignore. C.S. Lewis puts it this way,

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest, most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, in a nightmare.

All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal.

Which means what exactly? It means that what you and I do to other people – what we say to them, how we treat them – has an impact on them. On how they see themselves, on whether they become who God made them to be, on the character of their eternity.

It means that nothing you and I say or do to each other, no matter how small, is inconsequential or neutral.

It means that everything you and I say or do is either building them up or tearing them down. Leading them towards God or pushing them away – especially if we call ourselves Christians.

And it means that for her question, “Are you always this nice?”

There’s only one answer – I need to be.