I was standing in line at the coffee shop located in the baggage claim area of terminal C in Newark airport when I felt someone gently touch my arm. My wife had just boarded an early flight to visit her family in the Dominican Republic and I was starving.

“Would you buy me some food” said the stranger. For some strange reason I did not hessitate as I usually do when I am approached by homeless people asking for money; maybe because this time he was not asking for money. “Yes” I responded. “What would you like?” “Anything” he said. With that I turned around to reasert my position in the line.

“What just happened? I agreed to buy this guy a meal!” I thought to myself. I turned arround only to be greeted with “… and a coffee. Thank you. God bless you.” I said to God: “You take the lead here. I don’t know what just happened.”

I ordered two eggs, ham and cheese sandwiches with two coffees while he sat next to a column where he waited for me. I knew that I wanted to sit with him but I was full of questions and apprehensions. Will he welcome my company? What will we talk about? Will he want to talk at all?

As I approached him with our meal he extended his hand and said: “My name is Tim. What is yours?” We chit-chatted about this and that as we shared our meal, all the while him leading the conversation.

I watched Tim go his merry way as I thought about our brief encounter, how at ease I felt sitting next to a total stranger who has probably experienced a lot of rejection and scorn. As I watched Tim go I asked in my mind “Is that You?” Tim looked briefly to his left as if he meant to look at me but stopped midway, and he waved his hand to say goodbye.

The following day – Sunday – I listened to the priest as he gave his homily. He told the story of a young woman who was doubting her own faith. She asked her grandmother why Jesus doesn’t touch her; why she does not feel His presence. In reply, her grandmother told her to close her eyes and pray for Jesus’ touch. As she prayed her grandmother touched the young woman’s hand.

We cannot love God without loving our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22: 34:40). Our love for God cannot be expressed only in our personal relationship with Jesus Christ – important as it is – but also by walking hand-in-hand with those who God has us meet.

On Saturday, October 28, 2017, in the baggage claim area of terminal C I met Jesus, his name isTim.