I read of a Protestant pastor who seemed to have the charm of mediating an encounter with Christ precisely through mediating to the other person the experience of Christ's unconditional love. Someone would say to him, "I'd like to meet Christ. How and where can I meet him?" This pastor would take this person to some quiet place where they were not likely to be disturbed and say something like this to him or her (I am giving you the details as nearly as I can remember them because I am going to recommend that you do the same thing for yourselves later), "I want you to close your eyes and listen carefully to what I say: Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, is present here with us. Do you believe this?" After a period of silence the person would reply, "Yes, I believe this." "Now listen to something that may be harder for you to believe," the pastor would continue. "Listen carefully: Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, loves and accepts you just as you are. You don't have to change. You don't have to become better. You don't even have to get out of your sin. You don't have to do this in order to get his love. You have it already, right now, in whatever condition you are. In fact, we know how intense his love is for us precisely because he loves us when we are sinners and is even ready to die for us. Do you believe this?" A much longer pause occurs generally before the person says, "Yes, I believe that Jesus who is here loves me just as I am." "Then," says the pastor, "say something to Jesus. Say it aloud." The person doesn't pray for long before grasping the pastor's hand and saying, "You are right. He is here! I can sense his presence!"

Anthony de Mello, Contact With God