Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest
I want to share with you this morning an old story which tells of the experience of a great artist who had been engaged to paint a mural for a large cathedral in an old Sicilian town. The subject of the mural was to be the life of the Saviour. For many years this artist laboured diligently until finally the painting was finished . . . with the exception of two very important figures. The Christ Child and Judas Iscariot. He searched far and wide for models to use for these two figures.
One day, whilst walking in an older part of the city, he came across some children playing in the street. Amongst them was a twelve year old boy whose face stirred the artist's heard. This child had the face of an angel . . . a very dirty one, but nevertheless the exact face that the painter needed.
The artist took the child home with him, and dad after day the boy sat patiently until he had finished painting the face of the Christ Child.
Source: google.com via Marie on Pinterest
He had failed to find a model for Judas, however. For years, haunted with the fear that his great masterpiece would remain unfinished, he searched and searched . . .
One afternoon when he was in the local tavern, the painter observed a gaunt and tattered figure stagger across the threshold and fall to the floor, begging for a glass of wine. The painter reached down and lifted him up and looked into a face that completely startled him. This was a face that seemed to bear the mark of every sin of man.
"Come with me," the painter said, "I will give you wine, food, and clothing." Here at last was his model for Judas!!
Source: flickr.com via Marie on Pinterest
The painter worked feverishly day and night to complete his masterpiece. As the work progressed, a change came over the model. A strange tension replaced the stuporous languar, and his blood shot eyes were fixed with horror on the painted likeness of himself. One day, perceiving his agitation, the painter paused in his work to ask, "My son, I'd like to help you. What troubles you so?"
The model sobbed and buried his face in his hands. After a long moment he lifted pleading eyes to the old painter's face . . . "Do you not remember me? Years ago . . . I was your model for the Christ Child!"
I found this story in one of my books yesterday and found it quite fascinating. Life apparently had taken away this child's innocence and he had become something quite horribly tainted and sorrowful, one of the dregs of society. I wondered what had happened to change him so very much . . . probably nothing much more than that which happens to most of us.
Source: weheartit.com via Marie on Pinterest
“If we constantly focus only on the stones in our mortal path, we will
almost surely miss the beautiful flower or cool stream provided by the
loving Father who outlined our journey. Each day can bring more joy
than sorrow when our mortal and spiritual eyes are open to God's
goodness. Joy in the gospel is not something that begins only in the
next life. It is our privilege now, this very day. We must never allow
our burdens to obscure our blessings. There will always be more
blessings than burdens--even if some days it doesn't seem so. Jesus
said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it
more abundantly." Enjoy those blessings right now. They are yours and
always will be.”
― Jeffrey R. Holland
Cooking in The English Kitchen today, Apple Pie Cake with a Brown Sugar and Rum Sauce! Naughty but very nice!
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