Distorted Jesus

We loved Rome.  We also wanted to escape it at times.  

CROWDS, animated Italian voices, church bells, piazzas, fountains and gelato.  Colorful images we’ll take with us.  We packed a lot into our few days here.  So thankful we had guides for two days.  What was interesting was that both guides had grown up in the church, and embraced belief, but in this late season of life both had become cynical and were seeking…something.

When we went to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican we agreed that we couldn’t imagine Jesus there, unless maybe overturning the tables of vendors.  It was an amazing display of art, but (at least to us) not a good place to worship. 

Here’s the thing that was fascinating, and sad to me.  Michelangelo, who painted the magnificent ceiling with scenes from the Bible, was so disgusted by the Pope’s behavior (he died of Syphilis and Gout soon after the completion), that when he was done painting he said he’d never come back to the chapel. 

Up in one corner of the ceiling was a triangle that showed what the ceiling had looked like before restoration in 1994.  Years of soot and dust had dulled the colors and faded the details of the pictures of Jesus.  Yep, just like we, the church, with our pride, selfishness and greed have obscured a loving picture of Jesus for the world.  A Jesus who, even though He was God and deserved the highest place, took the lowest and would graciously welcome us all.

How can we restore that image of Jesus to the world?  To our new guide friends?  Repentance for the damage we've done would probably be good.  Beyond that mostly we just listened to their questions, affirmed their desire to seek truth, and tried to model the love of Jesus.  I hope it was a start.

Michelangelo, even though he said he’d never return, eventually DID.  Years later.  I pray there will be others who will try to restore a loving image of Jesus for our seeking guides and many other disillusioned people around the world, and I pray that they, like Michelangelo, will find their way back also.