The first reading tells us that God took Abram outside, showed him all the stars in the sky promising him as many descendants. God had a conversation with Abram, that is prayer. Every sin, that is, every thorn of selfishness we leave festering in our hearts stunts our spiritual growth, not only as Christians, but has human beings. Leonardo Da Vinci learned this lesson well while he was painting his famous Last Supper in Milan. While working on the painting he had a bitter argument with another painter, an enemy whom he has long despised. To vent his anger at the other artist, Da Vinci used the artist’s face as a model for the face of Judas Iscariot, the Apostle who betrayed the Lord. Leonardo felt a sense of evil satisfaction in coming up with the humiliation that all his peers would recognize and that would last through the centuries. As he worked on the faces of the other Apostles, he often tried to paint the face of Jesus; but could not make any progress. He continued working on the painting but became more and more frustrated and confused as he just couldn’t visualize the face of Christ. Then he realized that his anger and hatred towards the other painter was holding him back from the finishing the face of Jesus. It had prevented him from being able to see Christ clearly. It was only when he forgave the other painter and made peace, that he was able to finally paint the face of Jesus and complete the masterpiece.