Seeing Christ in Evil People

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Hi. I was wondering since it’s so often said that we need to see Christ in everyone and even if we don’t like them, we must practice loving them as He commanded.

I have a hard time seeing Christ in a woman I know who speaks vilely (Christ would never speak in such a way) and is manipulative and cruel. Much less an evil person.

Am I misunderstanding this expression and I’m only to see Christ in good people and not see Him in a sadistic evil being?

Thanks for helping me understand. God bless
 
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You have to separate being with actions. A person does evil things as well as good things. They are not evil as they are created very good by God but choose to do what is evil by free will.
 
She too is made in His image even if she has given in to sin*. How often have the rest of us given in to sin?

I’d make it a practice to say the Divine Mercy Chaplet for her. I think that would be a good way of acknowledging the good that is within her while also asking God to have mercy on her for the wrong that she does.

*I would hesitate to call her or anyone else “evil”. To do so requires that we make a judgement of their soul. While her actions are contrary to love and charity, we really can’t know what is in her soul.
 
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Thank you Mrsdizzy, I appreciate your response. I was unclear, I wasn’t calling her evil I thought I separated the two but I did mean evil people and by that I can only think of those committing heinous acts, mass myrders of children etc…
But I really needed to understand this and so I am very grateful to learn that she is included. (not easy but for the Lord I’ll try to do anything to please Him)
God bless you
 
Seriously try the Divine Mercy chaplet. It works wonders for the person praying it and for the person you are praying it for.

Have you read Sr. Faustina’s diary? I’ve read excepts, and it is incredibly inspiring. It’s in my list of must reads.
 
Oh my gosh. This is quite interesting. Yesterday, the Magnificat had a meditation on the writings of St. faustina on suffering. She has been on my mind for the past couple of months.
I have hardly ever thought of her in my entire life. Then one day months ago, I closed my eyes to rest and for a split second I have an image of her in my mind. Trust me when I tell you I found that very strange because the only saints I think of are really St Therese or St Teresa.
Anyway, after reading the Magnificat I went online to see how much the Diary would cost and I didn’t order it yet.
I almost feel like something is always pulling me away from spiritual gain. I haven’t said the rosary in a while either.
All this to say, thank you for the recommendation, my husband always says he doesn’t believe in coincidences. Maybe I need to get the book now. I just have a problem with ordering books i’m excited to read and then I don’t read them because my eyes frequently get tired and a part of me says “read the Gospels ” instead but my attention span and vision get in the way too, I wonder if it’s a spiritual attack I’m under which is why I opened a thread earlier on someone to pray for me. Thank you again
 
I think you should get the book. 🙂

I had a similar thing happen with St Vincent De Paul on his feast day of all days (and I had no idea it was his feast day). I also have this intense desire to visit the sick, but I haven’t found a way to channel it yet and there is no St. Vincent de Paul Society at my parish or even really in my diocese. I’m still trying to figure out what it all means.
 
I’m not sure it is scriptural to “see Christ” in anybody, especially someone who confronts us with evil. It’s probably based on Jesus’ remark that what we do for the least of his brothers, we have done for him.

I worked with a lot of people in whom I could not “see” Christ. Christ would not say what they said or do what they did. Their words and deeds might make me THINK of Christ.

It would remind me to consider that each person was made in the image of God, yet like many people in the Bible, they seem to have turned away from God (or never really known God).

Your use of the word “sadistic” is significant, because there are people with a sado-masochistic personality disorder. Or, perhaps there are other stressful things going on in their lives.

The Church itself has a type of punishment called excommunication. It is not a condemnation, but it is a way of telling somebody that they have to reform and bring themselves back. Some people do things that bring on automatic excommunication.

I think that can happen in relationships where people do things like that, where they are burning bridges and we (you and or I) cannot do anything about it. I have seen it happen over and over. Dr. Ray Guarendi talks about this on his radio program on EWTN. It happens especially in families.

Debbie Georgiani on EWTN’s Take 2 Show is divorced and estranged not only from her children AND her grandchildren. She talks about this from time to time, and so I am only repeating here what she has stated publicly. This kind of stuff happens.

How we treat people is a whole different story, but I don’t think we can always see Christ in all other people. We cannot “see” Christ in all they say and do, for sure.

Ps 1:1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in company with scoffers.

Isn’t it Jesus who tells us that if we are rejected, to shake the dust off our feet and move on?
 
The last verse in the gospel of John says that if all the deeds of Jesus were recorded, they would fill all the books of the world.

Hmmm.

Perhaps this refers to you and me and what Christ has done in each of our lives. If you encounter an “evil” person perhaps their “book” wouldn’t say much about what Christ has done in their life. We try to love our neighbor and do the best we can. It’s not always under our control. No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them to Christ.
 
Thank you for your wonderful insight, I just read that scripture verse the other day about shaking the dust off my feet.

For the woman I’m referring to, she has spread lies against me, gossips about me and treats me mean, I work with her and find it very hard not to treat her coldly.
 
Do it anyway.
We’re all sinners.

I mean, it’s easy to see Jesus in Jesus.
 
Thank you, I know we’re all sinners but since I personally would never go out of my way to be cruel to someone and try to hurt them as she has done to me, it’s so hard to be kind.
I have actually been kind because of Christ and felt like a pushover being nice to someone who treats me cruelly.
 
Well I no longer treat her kindly, I’m professional and I never smile at her but everyone else around us.
I hope that’s ok
 
I should probably smile but then I’d seem fake, like her and I’d rather be genuine
 
Sometimes women are socialized to smile at everybody and be conciliatory.
But then there are cases where a smile is seen as appeasing or weak.
There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with using your smiles as rewards for the behavior you should be treated with.

Just be careful you don’t have bitterness growing in your heart. It’s not always an easy balance.
 
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone, Jesus dined with tax collectors and thieves Mary Magdalen was an adulterous Jesus wasn’t a tax collector he was a theif he wasn’t a murderer he was a sinless man who took on the sins of many including this woman you talk about and your no better than her In fact this reminds me of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector
 
Are you no better than a murderer?
Are we are no better than each other.
If someone caused harm to your child, are you no better than him?
I’m trying to understand what you mean by I’m no better than someone who bore false witness against me and my family.

ok so how would you treat them in this precise situation when you’re faced with it everyday. Are you calling me a Pharisee because I’m asking for advice on how to treat someone whose done me harm?
 
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Forgiveness and trust are two very different things. You must work at forgiving her because Jesus says to; but it is ok to withhold trust from such an unsafe person. Also, I heard one preacher put it this way. He said, “ I get all my joy in life from the fact that God really loves me. You didn’t give that to me and you can’t take it away. And you can’t hurt me; but you can make me hurt for you.” It is so sad that so much yuck is within her, that she treats you and presumably others like this. Pray for her, be gracious, but keep your distance. Even Jesus withheld trust (John 2:24). And you are sharing in the same type of suffering Jesus endured - he knows exactly how this feels. Hang in there!
 
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Thank you for your helpful response. Jesus did withhold trust and I certainly do as well. I do pray for her and have for a very long time in fact.
 
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