“The prisoner, the sick person, the Christian in exile sees in the companionship of a fellow Christian a physical sign of the gracious presence of the triune God. Visitor and visited in loneliness recognize in each other the Christ who is present in the body; they receive and meet each other as one meets the Lord, in reverence, humility, and joy.” (Cf. Matthew 25:31-46).
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) in Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community (New York: HarperCollins) 20.