Centuries ago a man was painting a mural for a Cathedral in Sicily, the subject being the Life of Jesus Christ. Many years he laboured to complete the picture, except for the faces of Christ Child and Judas Iscariot.
He searched a far & wide, and one day while walking in the poor part of the city, he noticed a boy of 12, with the face of an Angel. Artist took the child home and laboured day after day till the Christ child was complete. He was happy, but now had to find the face of Judas to complete the mural.
He kept searching to find such a man. He had envisioned this person to be a man warped by life, enfeebled by surrender to greed and lust. One afternoon a tattered figure staggered, and begged, “wine, wine!” The painter was startled to see him, and lifted him up.
Here was a face that seemed to bear the marks of every sin of mankind. The old msn took him home, gave him food, clothes and wine, and then worked feverishly to complete his masterpiece.
After a few days the model became tense and his bloodshot eyes became fixed with horror on the painted likeness of himself. “My son”, said the old painter, “what troubles you? I want to help you.” The young man sobbed, his face buried in his hands, lifted with pleading eyes to the painter, ”Do you not remember me? Years ago I was your model for the Christ child.”
Thus a man’s whole personality can change with his deeds. Primary reason for this downfall is Desires, which lead to greed, anger, lust, and grief. The person gets into such a vicious circle, he gets morally and mentally destroyed, and is always sad and fearful inside. Hence control on desires is the key to happiness and peace of mind.
