In our face we can see the life we or others have lived. We might be able to tell if one has lived a faithful or a faithless existence. How much of a reflection of Christ are we to others? It seems oftentimes our faces show the despair of the world. However, I was reminded of my birthright one evening.
A few months ago I had the most poignant dream, one that really was a message. I dreamt that my husband and I were in church. Friends whom we had not seen in a long time were there. We sat like bookends in the crowded pew: they on one end and me on the other. My husband was talking to them about faith.
In front of us was a large crèche. I remember staring at the baby Jesus in the manger. He, in all his innocence, lay in the makeshift crib with his arms outstretched. It seemed to me that He was waiting to accept the love of the entire world. He appeared so beautiful.
Suddenly the face of this sinless child began to change into a grown man with a beard. He began to convulse a bit. His face became ugly and disfigured. The serene innocence was gone. His countenance was even frightening. Later, it returned to the face of the innocent one.
After a few minutes, I awoke frightened and disturbed. What did this mean? Why did I see baby Jesus’ face turn into something ugly?
Finally a thought came to me. When we are newborn, we are like the baby Jesus – wonderful, beautiful, and pure in body, soul, and spirit. We truly are made in His image and reflect this in our countenance.
However, as we grow, we sin and become like the disfigured face of Jesus I saw in my dream. We become ugly and dark. It almost seems that we share no kinship with him at all. In this state, we no longer reflect His image. The message, I believe, was that sin makes us ugly, sometimes to the point of losing our total identity with the Lord.
As for our friends on the other end of pew, I felt reconciliation was needed. By God’s grace some steps have been made toward that effort.
Now, though, I am contemplating: how much do I reflect the image of the sinless Christ Child? I am ashamed to say that image has been dulled over the years. I know the sacraments give me a chance to change that image and become a new creation in Him. In penance I can ask God to help me overcome my faults that distort my reflection of Him.
St. Francis of Assisi knew this and strived to follow Christ’s life most closely. He became poor in body and spirit. However, he did not forget whose image was impressed on his heart. During this Christmas season peer into the mirror and ask, “Does my face reflect Christ’s?” If you’re like me, you might say, “No.” God is merciful and reaches in our hearts to change them. Let us pray for one another to use our time wisely to become images of the baby Jesus.
Merry Christmas, my brothers and sisters!
Copyright © 2013, Mary Mitchell
photo credit: Puzzler4879 via photopin cc
Mary Mitchell
Mary Mitchell, from Chicago, is a devout Catholic who likes to mix the divine truth with humor. She thinks it's the only way we can get through this life! Mary is the mother of three and has been married to her husband, Philip, more than 20 years. She has attempted to live the vows as a Secular Franciscan for about 20 years, but has a long way to go.
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