Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua

Today's Mass Readings

Does God have a face? One correct answer to this question is the obvious one, no, God does not have a face, nor a body. Of course, since the Incarnation, it would also be correct to say that God has a face in Jesus Christ. Jesus is fully God, and as also fully human He has a face. But what does it mean to seek God's face? This question is an important one, since the antiphon for today's responsorial psalm ("I long to see your face, O Lord" Psalm 27:8) is echoed throughout Scripture, and is supposed to be our own attitude, it's supposed to reflect our own longing.

Part of the difficulty is that the word for face in both Hebrew and in Greek is also the same word for "presence." To seek the "face" of the Lord, is above all, to seek to be in the very presence of God. Indeed, the other English translation we have here today for Psalm 27:8 clarifies this (there are two English translations being employed, one for the antiphonal version of Psalm 27:8 and one for the Psalm text itself, both slightly different from the English translation provided by the link): "Your presence, O Lord, I seek."

We must seek God's face, we must seek God's presence. In today's first reading from the First Book of Kings, Elijah was in the presence of God, but God was not in any of the things that manifested this presence, the wind, fire, earthquake.

The entire Bible itself is about seeking to be in the presence of God. How can we come into God's presence? If we take the hint from today's gospel readings, one way is to be sensitive to godlessness in our lives and take delibrate action to root out sin. Jesus is not suggesting that we literally cut our hands and feet or pluck our eyes out. We have only two hands and a pair of eyes and we are bound to sin more than just twice. But rooting out sinful habits in our lives is a good way to make room for God's constant presence in our lives.

This would be impossible if we were left to ourselves. The Bible shows, however, that we have hope, precisely because we don't first seek out God's presence, rather, God seeks us out so that we may dwell in His presence.

Let us reflect on the many ways we encounter the presence of God in our own lives. Sometimes this is through other people, circumstances in which we find ourselves, even suffering that seems needless, and especially at every Eucharist. What are some ways we may actively seek the presence of God? Let's pray about that question, and then let's seek the face of the Lord in prayer, at Eucharist, and in serving others.

Jeff Morrow