“Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.” This was the responsorial for Mass this morning.
It strikes me that the idea of seeing the face of the Lord is a very profound thought, yet a thought that we risk taking for granted. The idea of seeing the face of the Lord has a very prominent meaning in our Faith, and it manifests itself in a number of ways that is meant to enrich out spiritual lives.
Perhaps one of the first thoughts that come to mind when we think about seeing the face of the Lord is the moment of our particular judgment, when our mortal life comes to an end. We will indeed meet the Lord face-to-face in a very profound way on that day.
That meeting with Jesus will then hopefully lead to the ultimate fulfillment of what it will mean to see the face of the Lord when we are admitted into the beatific vision of heaven.
But, we do not have to wait until the end of our mortal life to experience the face of the Lord. Practically speaking, there are two ways we can spiritually see the face of the Lord now.
One way is through spiritual mysticism, including Lectio Divina, Contemplative Prayer, and most profoundly through the Eucharist. I had the opportunity to lead the Benediction for the July Encounter at our parish. The theme of the witness was relationships, which our Youth Director kicked off referring to adoration as an opportunity to be face-to-face with Jesus. The evening reminded me that going to Eucharistic adoration on a regular basis can actually go beyond face-to-face to a point where it can bring two hearts (our heart and the heart of Jesus) so close that two hearts mystically beat as one.
The other way is spiritual asceticism, where we can see the face of the Lord through sacrificing our own worldly pleasures in service to others...seeing the face of Jesus in the face of those we serve. This is the essence of the Archbishop William Lori's challenge this month to support one effort to serve the poor and those most in need in our community. There are many ways people currently meet this challenge, through Saint Peter and Paul Community Services, Saint Vincent de Paul, and other ministries and outreach organizations. Hospital ministries and taking communion to the home-bound have always been powerful encounters for me. If you are not currently involved in an outreach ministry, pray about how the Lord may be calling you to see His face through a ministry of service...even if it is just a small donation to an area charity that serves the poor.
Regardless of our current level of involvement in serving the poor and needy, I think His Excellency had some good reflection questions to take to prayer:
- Do you recognize that Christ has work for you to do in this life?
- When you see suffering around you, is your first response to consider what Christ might be asking you to do?
- How can you grow in your awareness of the tasks Christ is asking you to undertake?
Ultimately, the goal is to be open to and respond to the movements of the Holy Spirit to develop in you a great devotion to our Lord through the Eucharist and through service to others. For it truly is He who teaches us to walk, takes us up in His arms, and leads us with bands of love.
Thanks be to God.
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