Responding to Appearance

Responding to Appearance

The Gospels tell us little about the physical appearance of Jesus. The evangelists and early Christians had something much greater to talk and write about, namely, the person of Jesus Christ. After all, what does it matter how a person looks, whether s/he is tall or short, fat or thin, dark or fair? What really counts is the kind of person s/he is and the influence s/he has on me or another person.

We, however, in today’s times are more inclined to be attracted to the external appearance of a person rather than to her/his personality, thanks to the cultural and media influence. For example, Movies which include dancing, action and steamy scenes involving famous actors and actresses are more likely to make a hit than movies with a powerful message involving less known actors and actresses.

Isaiah in his prophecy of the suffering servant hints at the appearance of Jesus. He tells us that, “there was in Him no stately bearing to make us look at him nor appearance that would attract us to him.” (Is. 53:2) Based on the image found on the Shroud of Turin we know that he had a beard and longish hair. The shroud itself indicates that he was above 6 feet tall. No certainty has been established with regard to the appearance of Jesus. All of us have some mental image about how Jesus may have looked. Many artists too, have tried to imagine what Jesus may have looked like and expressed their ideas through their art works. Jesus is usually portrayed as an average heighted man, with long hair and a flowing beard, wearing long robes, usually of blue and red colour. From scripture and tradition, we can safely conclude that Jesus was not the most handsome man living in Israel at that time.

Most of us would not find it hard to imagine Jesus in the manner described above. But how about trying to imagine a Jesus who is malnutritioned and sick, a Jesus with spiky hair and pierced ears, wearing a t-shirt and jeans? The thought might repulse us at first. But yet, these are the Jesus’ we are called to see today, more so as religious and Salesians in particular. We, Salesians are called to see Jesus in young people. It is easier to see God in a meek and quiet youngster than in an extremely expressive and obdurate one. As Salesians, we are called to love the young, without distinction. Don Bosco would say, “That you are young is enough for me to love you.” This ought to be on the lips of every Salesian.

We, Christians, believe that God is above all, yet in all and this is what directs us to love our neighbour as our self (Mt. 22:39). In order to love the other, especially the young, it is imperative that we take off our spectacles of prejudice and bias, and look at them with the lenses of openness, understanding and acceptance. If God is our Father and we are His children, ought we not to love one another as a family?

I would like to conclude by stating that it does not matter in what form Jesus comes, whether as a beggar, a rebellious teen or a holy sage. What really matters is how we respond to Him when he comes because it is the response we make that will ultimately be the deciding factor when we face the Judgment of God (Mt. 25:40).