51 It came to pass, when the days were near that Jesus should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before his face. They went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, so as to prepare for him. 53 They didn’t receive him, because he was traveling with his face set towards Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples, James and John, saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from the sky, and destroy them, just as Elijah did?”

55 But he turned and rebuked them, “You don’t know of what kind of spirit you are. 56 For the Son of Man didn’t come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

Luke 9:51-56 - World English Bible

In these verses from Luke 9, the author mentioned the word “face” several times. As in English, the term meant more than a physical part of the head; it denoted intent and presence. When he set his “face” toward Jerusalem, he intended to travel there (9:51, 53), knowing what he would endure there; in English, he “faced” the challenge of presenting himself to the leaders in the capitol. “Face” also meant presence; he sent disciples to declare his arrival in a Samaritan town (9:52); he intended to “face” the crowd. Notice that the translation treats “face” as a noun, but common English used it as a verb; also notice the meanings of intent and presence could blur together; “to “face” someone could mean both terms.

Because Jesus intended to travel to the city of David, the Samaritans who rejected Judaism rejected him. Knowing they shared in the power of the Lord, James and John wanted to rain down fire on their enemies, like the image of Sodom and Gomorrah receiving destruction (Genesis 19) and like Elijah calling down fire to receive his sacrifice when he challenged the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18). Jesus rejected their request; as the Son of Man, he came to save, not to destroy.

When Jesus faces us, he intends to save us by being present to us. That phrase sums us the Catholic faith.

How do you want to face Jesus today?