Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 / Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 / Luke 9:28-36
When it comes to remembering names of people, some of us can find it interesting while others find it quite challenging.
While some people might find it interesting to remember the names of people they meet, most of us would find it rather challenging.
There are times that even just after the introduction, the name of the other person just slips out of our minds. So we can imagine what it is like if we are introduced to a group of people.
Certainly, remembering names can be quite challenging, and to forget the names of people we meet now and then can be quite embarrassing.
There is this joke about two elderly ladies had been friends for many years. Over the years, they had shared many kinds of activities and adventures.
Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week for lunch.
One day, they were having lunch when one of them looked at the other and said, "Now, please don't get mad at me. I know we've been friends for a long time, but I just can't recall your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is."
Her friend glared at her. For quite a while she just stared and glared at her.
Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know? Because I have to go back home and look at my IC" :0
But if names are difficult to remember then it is the face that gives the identity and even tells a story.
We may not be able to remember the other person’s name but we will be able to recognize the face. Even if it’s classmates or friends that we have not met a long time, even if it’s as long as 30 or 40 years, somehow the face will make us recall and bring back memories.
Today’s gospel tells us about a face – the face of Jesus.
He had gone up the mountain with Peter, James and John to pray. And as He prayed the aspect of His face was changed and His clothing became brilliant as lightning.
We are not told to what aspect of His face was changed, but it was the voice from the cloud that told the identity of that face – “This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to Him”
So the identity of Jesus was revealed as well as reiterated – He is the Son of the Father. And with Moses and Elijah appearing with Him, it also means that He is fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.
It also means that when we listen to Jesus, then our face will also change to be like His face.
But it also means to say that when we don’t listen to Him then our face will change to be like something else.
There is this story of Leonardo Da Vinci, the famous Italian artist, and how he painted the Last Supper. It took several years for him to complete it. The figures representing the twelve Apostles and Christ himself were painted from living persons. The live-model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first.
Da Vinci went around to find a face and personality exhibiting innocence and beauty, free from the scars and signs of dissipation caused by sin.
Finally, after weeks of laborious search, a young man was selected as a model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of his famous painting. During the next few years Da Vinci continued his labours on this sublime work of art. One by one, fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven Apostles – with space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece.
For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with a hard, callous face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, hypocrisy, and crime. A face that would indicate a character who would betray his best friend.
After searching around for the type of person required to represent Judas, Da Vinci was told that a man whose appearance fully met his requirements had been found in a prison, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder. Da Vinci made the trip to the prison and saw before him a dark, swarthy man, his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, which betrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin.
At last the famous painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting and so he proceeded to use him as the model for Judas.
As he was finishing his painting, the prisoner asked Da Vinci if he recognized him, and the painter stared hard at the prisoner.
Then, lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, “Oh God, how have I fallen so low?” Then turning his face to the painter he cried, “Leonardo Da Vinci, look at me again for I am the same man you painted just a few years ago as the figure of Christ.”
Whether true or not, the point of the story tells us that the face reveals the identity and also tells a story.
When we listen to Jesus, our face change to be like His and our life will tell of a wonderful story of how God has changed us to be like Jesus.
But when we don’t listen to Jesus, then our face will tell of a terrible story of the disfigurement of sin.
So let us turn to Jesus, let us listen to Him and may our face show to others a story of the wonderful things that God has done for us.