Beloveds,
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’” (Genesis 1:26)
“‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.’” (Isaiah 7:14)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)
“Thus, it is written, ‘The first Adam became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Had a terrific experience last Thursday! Went to the annual fund-raisin’ banquet for Her Choice Women’s Center (yeah, a pro-life gang!). Truth be told, the keynote speaker was Jennifer O’Neill, a smashingly beautiful woman from yesteryear (every college guy’s secret sweetheart for her role in “Summer of ‘42”), who spoke eloquently and passionately of her own life’s story which included broken marriages, immorality, worldly success, fame, and wealth, and abortion.
It was a terrific evenin’ with the entire CrossWind crew present and accounted for (as well as my dear friends from the bikers’ class at Brook Hills!)! One high point for me (sorry, Jen) was a very brief video presentation done by Lee John Bruno. It was a series of still pictures and 3- and 4-D ultrasound images of children – children in the womb and out – but children one and all! The background music was “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” (Roberta Flack?), and, well, what can I say? WOW!!! Not a dry eye in the place. In fact, I never would have conceived of puttin’ that song with a video clip of pre-born and newborn infants (it’s sorta romantic, you know – a couple of lovers! But, it sure did work here – UNBELIEVABLE!!!).
The thing that really seized my soul, though (sorry again, Jen), was a small card with a prayer written on it (composed by Jim Pinto, my dear friend and one of the sanctity of life movement’s true heroes). It’s called the “Face Prayer”:
“Heavenly Father, I embrace your grace this day, so that I might not: think of another, speak to another or touch another, without first looking for Your Face in the other. I ask all this through Jesus Christ: God Incarnate, God with Skin, God made Poor, God with a Face. Amen!”
As I read Jim’s prayer – over and over and over – things began to crystallize and become clear: the Face of God in the Flesh, Jesus, and the face of everyman are one and the same for “. . .in every face, is The Face of God, veiled and in a riddle!!!” Yeah, dude, it’s all about the Face of God seen in all our faces – and others, too!
Well, as I was contemplatin’ that prayer in class on Friday, I had to correct a couple of students for some behavior issues (really torques me off sometimes!). Then, I read the prayer again – the small card was nestled against some books in front of me. Lookin’ back at those guys, I saw them in a whole different light – oh sure, they’re boogerheads for their misbehavin’ and laziness, but they’re nevertheless lil’ images of the Creator not unlike the Savior of flesh Who is, Himself, in the flesh!
Then, I remembered Miss O’Neill (man, I thought it was Jen!?!?!?) sayin’ something quite profound. She spoke of not addressing the legalities of the abortion issue but rather testifying to the reality of life. It’s like in my ethics classes, before I ever show a video of actual abortions being performed, the students see videos on life: pre-born, infants, toddlers, children, teens, young adults, middle-agers, and the elderly – life one and all!!! Yup, I’ve already learned that lesson – that is, that life itself is our strongest argument; and the life of everyman is seen in the Life of Christ for He was – and is – True Man!!! Flesh and bones and sinew and tendon and organs and muscle and…………………………Jus’ as much human as either you or me. Hey, Jesus Christ is in every way, THE Man!!!
Thus, what I see in that tiny form on the ultrasound image is “. . .the face of God, veiled and in a riddle.”
“The first time ever I saw your face,
I thought the sun rose in your eyes;
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave,
To the dark and endless skies, my love,
To the dark and endless skies.
Can we look upon men in the same way that the Savior does? Will His compassion and thoughtfulness and goodness and mercy and kindness and grace and understanding and willingness to go the extra mile saturate us to being inebriated – yeah, drunk!!! – with a care and concern for all the “whosoevers” of the world!?!?!?
“‘Is she a drunk or a bum?’ ‘Jus’a bum; been one all her life.’ ‘And before that?’ ‘She was a whore in Alaska.’ ‘She hasn’t been a whore all her life. Before that?’ ‘I dunno. Jus’ a lil’ kid, I guess.’ ‘Well, a lil’ kid’s somethin’. It’s not a bum, and it’s not a whore. It’s somethin’. Let’s take her in.’” (Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep in “Ironweed”)
Pretty cool; that’s good stuff, man!
“O Lord, I wanna see You in the face of everyman.”
Blessins’ of grace and peace; with all due love, loyalty, and respect,
2R
(The images above of an infant in the womb at twenty-five weeks were recorded via a 4-D ultrasound machine. These types of images have been wonderfully successful in preventing abortion-minded girls and women from killing their children. Praise God for technology when used for His glory!!!)
Copyright @ 2009 CrossWind Ministry
