Saint Ambrose and the Face of Christ

Seek the Face of Christ
Saint Ambrose invites us to seek the Face of Christ in his mysteries, that is to say, in the Sacred Liturgy. When the Church opens the her liturgical books, it is to discover the Face of Christ shining from their pages. When, in obedience to the command of the Lord, she offers the adorable mysteries of His Body and Blood, all her joy is in the contemplation of His Eucharistic Face.
I Have Found Thee in Thy Mysteries
When, ten years ago, the Poor Clares of Barhamsville, Virginia offered to design a card commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of my ordination to the holy priesthood, I did not hesitate in choosing a text. Immediately, the words of Saint Ambrose came to mind:
Face to face,
Thou hast made thyself known to me, O Christ;
I have found thee in thy mysteries.
Living Face-to-Face With Our Lord
We encounter Christ face-to-face if we persevere in seeking Him — in all circumstances and in every place — but especially in his Mysteries: in His Word, in the Adorable Sacrament of His Body and Blood, in the prayer of His Bride, the Church. This is the supreme motive for every investigation of the liturgy. It is not about acquiring knowledge, or satisfying a certain curiosity. It is about living face-to-face with Our Lord.