The face of God

Christians would want to become friends with Jesus, to be acquainted with him, to get to know him as a person.

How do we best get to know a person? Usually talking to him face-to-face. The face is the single most powerful expression of a person. Somehow you get to know his personality through the nuances of his face. Is he cheerful? Is she serious? Is he attentive?

Thus, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and the great saints have always sought to see the face of God, the face of Jesus. Heaven the Catechism says is "being with Jesus." To see God's face is to find the path we have to take, and to gaze at his face is what life is about.

Isn't the shroud of Turin the greatest material representation of this face?



If we believe that it is a miraculous representation of the real face of Jesus, of God, then it is worthwhile doing what many pious people do: contemplate the Holy Face as shown to us in the Shroud of Turin. For me it has been a great source of peace, joy and consolation, to gaze at the face of my Creator, the person who died for me, my ultimate goal, Love incarnate. I'm sure he left this image for a sublime, sanctifying purpose.