There is a story from Sicily of a certain monk Father Epifanius who loved to paint. He wanted so much to draw a picture of Jesus before he died. He visited many places and looked at many young men who could pose for him as Jesus. But he couldn’t find the right person. But one night, while he was sleeping, an angel appeared to him, and told him ‘If you ever want to leave an image of Jesus for posterity, make sure you include in the image you paint – the joy of a girl on her wedding day, the innocence of childhood, a farmer bent on his tools in his field, the suffering of a sick person, the tears of a broken-hearted man who just lost his wife, the heart of a devoted mother, the uncertainty of an orphan, and the forgiveness of a priest confessor.’ When the dream ended, Father Epifanius got up and painted the face of a man who had all these feelings and emotions: joy, sorrow, mercy, suffering, health, sickness, beauty and everything related to the ups and downs of life. May we always see the face of Jesus in those around us. When we can really see Him in others, Jesus will forever be close to us.
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