The Face of Christ
Several years ago Jesuit Dallas’ Drama Department performed the play Dead Man Walking. The talented young actress who played Sister Helen Prejean made the audience sink into the story. She captured our attention as she unexpectedly began to develop a relationship with Patrick Sonnier, the convicted murderer. The most gripping scene was when she accepted the challenge to walk alongside him and be present with him at his execution. She said to Patrick, “I want the last face you see in this world to be the face of love, so you look at me when they do this thing. I'll be the face of love for you.” And the night of his execution, Sister Helen was indeed the last face he saw. She was the truest face of love, the face of Christ for Patrick in his last moments.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to live with and work alongside of Dr. Carlos Flores in the mountainous region of Guatemala. We lived among and visited many of the indigenous people during my stay. One particular visit was to an 18-year-old young man, Santiago. The year before, he had fallen from an avocado tree and was left paralyzed. Admittedly, I was anxious at first, uncertain as to what to expect as we entered his home. Immediately, however, I could feel my anxiousness melt away as the welcome we received by the family was so hospitable and gracious. Santiago was open and vulnerable, sharing with us his initial struggle with his physical condition and the depression he still experienced. We promised him that we would be returning soon with a group of students, and I watched as his face lit up with a smile unlike any I had seen before. A week later, I arrived with our Jesuit students, and again the face of Santiago lit up the room with an endearing and radiant smile as he drew our students into quick conversation with him. No face could be that radiant unless it was indeed the face of Christ shining down on us - and I believe Christ shined right back to Santiago through the eyes of each young man in the room. To this day we continue to communicate with him, and I know we all hope to see him again this coming summer.
As I enter the first week of Advent, I pray I can push beyond a merely sentimental understanding of Christmas. Instead of just looking for a baby Jesus, I hope I am reminded of the challenge of Patrick Sonnier and Santiago Perez - the challenge to me to embrace an adult message of the Incarnation. Being human, no matter which human being you are, is a truly holy experience - after all, God thought enough of humanity to become one of us. Each time we encounter another person, we encounter Christ.
While there are many emotions associated with this season, let us not avoid being the face of Christ in whatever acts of kindness and support we can give to another. Franciscan Father Richard Rohr once said, “In Franciscan parlance, Jesus did not come to change the mind of God about humanity; Jesus came to change the mind of humanity about God.” My prayer for you this Advent is that we may each be the face of Christ to those who seek compassion, forgiveness, and the healing of the Lord.
Author: Keith Reese, Theology Department
This past summer, I had the opportunity to live with and work alongside of Dr. Carlos Flores in the mountainous region of Guatemala. We lived among and visited many of the indigenous people during my stay. One particular visit was to an 18-year-old young man, Santiago. The year before, he had fallen from an avocado tree and was left paralyzed. Admittedly, I was anxious at first, uncertain as to what to expect as we entered his home. Immediately, however, I could feel my anxiousness melt away as the welcome we received by the family was so hospitable and gracious. Santiago was open and vulnerable, sharing with us his initial struggle with his physical condition and the depression he still experienced. We promised him that we would be returning soon with a group of students, and I watched as his face lit up with a smile unlike any I had seen before. A week later, I arrived with our Jesuit students, and again the face of Santiago lit up the room with an endearing and radiant smile as he drew our students into quick conversation with him. No face could be that radiant unless it was indeed the face of Christ shining down on us - and I believe Christ shined right back to Santiago through the eyes of each young man in the room. To this day we continue to communicate with him, and I know we all hope to see him again this coming summer.
As I enter the first week of Advent, I pray I can push beyond a merely sentimental understanding of Christmas. Instead of just looking for a baby Jesus, I hope I am reminded of the challenge of Patrick Sonnier and Santiago Perez - the challenge to me to embrace an adult message of the Incarnation. Being human, no matter which human being you are, is a truly holy experience - after all, God thought enough of humanity to become one of us. Each time we encounter another person, we encounter Christ.
While there are many emotions associated with this season, let us not avoid being the face of Christ in whatever acts of kindness and support we can give to another. Franciscan Father Richard Rohr once said, “In Franciscan parlance, Jesus did not come to change the mind of God about humanity; Jesus came to change the mind of humanity about God.” My prayer for you this Advent is that we may each be the face of Christ to those who seek compassion, forgiveness, and the healing of the Lord.
Author: Keith Reese, Theology Department
Comments
Post a Comment