“Let Us Fix Our Eyes on Jesus” (Part 1)
A beautiful woman is sitting to have her portrait taken. Her concern? That the photographer catch her best angle. She doesn’t want to just sit and face the camera and have her picture taken like a mug shot. So she seeks out a good photographer; one who will encourage subtle positions that will enhance her features. He may say, “Look down, look to the side . . . head up, chin down. Whatever it takes to give her a beautiful image . . .
During Lent we will be looking at portraits of the face of Christ captured on canvas by some of history’s great artists. Of course, Jesus did not sit for any of these portraits and no one even knows what Jesus’ face looked like. Those who actually looked into his eyes did not record what they saw nor did they tell about anyone it. None of the evangelists thought it important to include a physical description of Jesus. The only details in the Bible about his face come from one who never saw him – one who lived 600 years before Jesus was even born. And what we learn is not pretty.
The prophet Isaiah describes the Suffering Servant – the Servant of God who will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. While he does not name this person as Jesus, we recognize the Christ in his words. The beginning of this Servant Song from Isaiah is our reading for tonight and excerpts from it will guide our Lenten Evening Prayer journey together. In his picture of the Christ, Isaiah says that his appearance was disfigured beyond that of any human being.
No artist to my knowledge has ever attempted to portray the face of Jesus in this manner – so disfigured that he barely looks human. Most artists who attempt to paint a portrait of Jesus give his face a beautiful, serene, mysterious quality.
The portrait we have as a focal point tonight was painted over 500 years ago by a very famous painter – Leonardo da Vinci. But more remarkable than the fame of the artist is the fact that this painting has been recently discovered and in fact is considered to be the most important artistic discovery of the past 100 years. It is part of an exhibit in London that has had people lining up for tickets every day due in part to this long lost painting of Christ. It was purchased by collectors at an American estate sale several years ago and just this past November was certified by art historians as being a genuine da Vinci painting.
Years of paint from well-intentioned restoration efforts had to be removed in order to reveal the original surface of this work of art. The facial expression, the ringlets in the hair, the anatomical detail in the right hand, the geological precision of the crystal orb he holds were all clues which led to the conclusion that Leonardo had indeed painted it. It has now joined the masterpiece collection of paintings by the famous artist. It has been called the male version of the Mona Lisa – the image of Christ seems to have a similar mysterious gaze and gentle smile.
But there is one important feature of this face of Jesus that is significant for us as we being our Lenten journey – something significant for us as we begin any journey or any day – something definitive about what the face of Jesus means to us.
This it not intended to capture Jesus’ best angle. He is facing forward. This was the way many artists before da Vinci’s time had painted the face of Christ – simply because they did not know yet how to paint interesting angles to the face and it was just easier to go face forward.
Da Vinci was known for realistic and interesting portrayals of the human face, yet in this painting he kept his Christ looking forward. Even the Mona Lisa has a titled angle to her face which is more flattering. But the Christ in this painting is looking straight ahead. Right into your face. His face is squarely directed towards the viewer.
The painting is titled Christ as Salvator Mundi – the Savior of the World. He is holding a symbol of the world he loves in his left hand; his right hand lovingly blessing those who look to him. But it is his eyes that are directed at you and me – at the sinner — at the believer. He comes to save – not to look away – but to face us head on. He sees our disfigurement – our blemishes – our thoughts and behaviors that make us sub-human – less than what God intended. Our faces have lost that image of God with which we were created, but the Savior of the world does not look away, but looks directly into our eyes – into our hearts. He sees one he loves to save. The Savior of the world faces one direction with one focus – you and me.
Tonight our faces are defaced in a way – with ashes. As we received this sign of repentance tonight we heard the words of King David who prayed, “Cast me not away from your presence.” “Do not hide your face from me,” David begged. And in Psalm 80 he writes, “O God, restore us and cause your face to shine upon us and we will be saved.”
Many turned their faces from looking at Jesus on the cross precisely because he did NOT look like the man da Vinci painted. Many were offended by his human face especially as he hung on the cross like a condemned sinner. But even on the cross and especially from the cross, Jesus has never hidden his face from us. He has never stopped saving us. And tonight – he looks past the ashes – into your eyes – deeper still. And his face is towards you and he will not turn away.
