Illumina Domine Blog – Devotion to The Holy Face

From the Gospel Matthew 17:5:

“Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John.and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tenets here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell prostate and were very much afraid. And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.

“Each year, at the Basilica Shrine of the Holy Face in Manoppello, Italy, the Feast of the Transfiguration, is marked by prayer, vigils and processions with the relic veil of the Holy Face, which is an “achieropoieta” — a veil bearing the image of the Face of Christ, that is not made by human hand–and is believed to be the sudarium veil that covered the Face of Jesus in the tomb. There is no paint on the sheer veil, and as one may see in the many photos of the relic, the visibility of the Holy Face changes according to the light and position of the viewer; the eyes of Jesus always gazing at the one who is gazing at Him!

Alexandra Prandell, who has graciously shared her photos here, related to me that the late Paul Badde gave her a little advice about photographing this unique and miraculous relic. There are some moments, says Paul, where the Holy Spirit “rewrote” the Volto Santo, as Paul described it. He always asked Alexandra to be especially attentive to these moments. Based on my own experience in praying before the Volto Santo, I find this statement to be very true; to be attentive, is to not only see with our eyes, but, to prayerfully, encounter Our Lord, whose Face we seek.

From the Sermon on the Transfiguration of the Lord by Anastasius of Sinai, bishop:

“It is good for us to be here”

Upon Mount Tabor, Jesus revealed to his disciples a heavenly mystery. While living among them he had spoken of the kingdom and of his second coming in glory, but to banish from their hearts any possible doubt concerning the kingdom and to confirm their faith in what lay in the future by its prefiguration in the present, he gave them on Mount Tabor a wonderful vision of his glory, a foreshadowing of the kingdom of heaven. It was as if he said to them: “As time goes by you may be in danger of losing your faith. To save you from this I tell you now that some standing here listening to me will not taste death until they have seen the Son of Man coming in the glory of his Father.”

Moreover, in order to assure us that Christ could command such power when he wished, the evangelist continues: Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. There, before their eyes, he was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. The disciples saw Moses and Elijah appear, and they were talking to Jesus.

These are the divine wonders we celebrate today’ this is the saving revelation given us upon the mountain;-this is the festival of Christ that has drawn us here. Let us listen, then, to the sacred voice of God so compellingly calling us from on high, from the summit of the mountain, so that with the Lord’s chosen disciples we may penetrate the deep meaning of these holy mysteries, so far beyond our capacity to express. Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven, and-I speak boldly-it is for us now to follow him with all speed, yearning for the heavenly vision that will give us a share in his radiance, renew our spiritual nature and transform us into his own likeness, making us for ever sharers in his Godhead and raising us to heights as yet undreamed of.

Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the cloud like Moses and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught up like Peter to behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by that glorious transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand aloof from the earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from creatures and to turn to the creator, to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed: Lord, it is good for us to be here.

It is indeed good to be here, as you have said, Peter. It is good to be with Jesus and to remain here for ever. What greater happiness of higher honor could we have than to be made like him and to live in his light?

Therefore, since each of us possesses God in his heart and is being transformed into his divine image, we also should cry out with joy: It is good for us to be here — here where all things shine with divine radiance, where there is joy and gladness and exultation; where there is nothing in our hearts but peace, serenity and stillness; where God is seen. For here, in our hearts, Christ takes up his abode together with the Father, saying as he enters: Today salvation has come to this house. With Christ, our hearts receive all the wealth of his eternal blessings, and there where they are stored up for us in him, we see reflected as in a mirror both the first fruits and the whole of the world to come.

+Please pray for Padre Antonio Gentili, as he will move soon to Assisi, and for his successor as Rector, Fr. Paolo Braghini. May Our Lord let His Face shine upon them and bless them in their service to their King!