There is a historic connection between seeking the Holy Face of God and seeking His presence. The word “Presence” in Hebrew is parallel with the word “Face” so in the Old Testament when one referred to “Seeking God’s Face” they were referring to seeking His presence. The experience of God’s holy presence was in a manner of speaking a vision or perception that God showed His Face to them. Having the Face of God look upon you was to have God’s attention. To have God’s face shine upon you was such that God was looking upon you with delight. Seeking God’s Holy Face is seeking His presence. As we take the time to look upon the Holy Face of our Lord as His child, seeking to be simply that, His child, you will be in His presence.

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Pope Benedict the XVI, in his book, On the Way to Jesus Christ, talks about the Holy face devotions saying: “The first element is discipleship, and the orientation of one’s life towards an encounter with Jesus.” As we walk in the footsteps of discipleship we engage in the quest to seek the Face of God. First by our desire to draw closer as a child of God. As His child, we answer the inner longings of our heart, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, leading us into a deeper communion with our Lord. Then by our faithfulness to our faith and the sacraments we establish the foundation for discipleship. As disciples we are ever growing, as in the proper order, as child grows in the presence and under the guidance of their parents, becoming a responsible adult. We seek to be in the presence of God, under His guidance as His children, becoming the fullness of the person we were created to be.  

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As one participates in the experience of the Holy face devotion, they have to understand that what truly sustains and elevates the devotion is the Eucharist.  One who gazes upon the Holy Face of our Lord in an image, whether it be Christ’s Joyful Face, Glorious Face or any other Holy Face of our Lord, periodically has to contemplate the passion of Jesus in His Holy Suffering Face that brought about the fulfillment of the institution of the Eucharist, being the “Bread of the Holy Face” and our salvation. The Eucharist being truly Christ consumed and received by us seeks to transform us in Christ’s image reflecting His Holy Face through us. So, one can see that the devotion to our Lord’s Holy Face and the Eucharist are intertwined.

Christ “seeks” to transform us through our reception of the Eucharist and does transform us, as we cooperate and allow ourselves to be transformed in His image.  Taking the time to focus on the Holy Face image and contemplate Christ’s life, contemplate our own life, pray, and praise God is an excellent habit that by our devotion, through the Eucharist, transforms us in Christ’s image.

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Truly the Face of Christ is manifested in us best when we are able to recognize Christ’ s Face in the face of the poor, suffering, and marginalized. As we strive to lift up those less fortunate, we become more closely the image of who we really are and were created to be. This creates in oneself a far deeper since of well being and contentment, however it is always a struggle to hold on to the holy ground we gain. This is a reality of the journey and another reality is that one does not journey alone. The Holy Face of Christ needs to shine from us to others and sometimes we need the light of Christ in the Face of others to illuminate our own life.

By: W.M. Simons