This is probably a stupid question . . . but, are you getting tired of masks? I am certain that I know the answer to that question . . .YES! Yes, we are all getting tired of masks . . . tired of seeing them, tired of wearing them. But, be patient. We will eventually get to the place where masks will no longer be a necessary part of our lives as more people are vaccinated for the virus and the pandemic wains. In the meantime, despite our frustration with masks, we need to continue to endure with them until that time comes. It is protection for others and us. It is an act of respect and love towards others in these scary times. Yet I think it is appropriate that we express our frustration with masks!
A mask is a form of a “veil”. A “veil” is meant to be used for protection against the elements and concealment. In that way a mask becomes a veil against the virus. Concealment means to hide. When “veil” is used as a verb it means to cover or conceal in order to hide, mask, disguise, or protect. To remove a veil or mask is to reveal what is behind it . . . to see what is there.
In the movie, The Wizard of Oz, there is a scene when Dorothy and her three companions—the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion, finally get their audience with the Great Wizard of Oz. Standing before a fiery image with a booming, menacing voice the quartet are shaking in their shoes. While off to the side there are some curtains, Toto—Dorothy’s dog, is curious. Grabbing the end of the curtain, Toto yanks the curtains open revealing an older man manipulating a machine and screaming into a microphone . . . the veil—the curtain—has been pulled back revealing the truth about the Great Wizard of Oz. He is nothing more than a mere mortal just like those who are standing before him.
Of course, with the veil pulled back, the reality and truth are no comfort to Dorothy and her friends.
This past year has been marked by “masks” . . . especially “masks” worn as a precaution and protection against the COVID-19 virus. And, yes, we are all tired of those “masks”. Yet, what this year of wearing “masks” has also revealed is that we are also tired of the metaphorical “masks” that have been hiding the truth and reality from us all. We have become tired of people “veiling” the truth . . . people hiding behind “masks” concealing the truth. Masks are all around us as we watch the news, listen to the radio, and peruse social media. As frustrating as physical “masks” and “veils” are, metaphorical ones are even more so as we attempt to ascertain the truth and real meaning behind them. We want the truth . . . we want to experience the truth.
We are used to “veils” or “masks” when it comes to politics . . . we live in the age of “fake news” and “sound bites” in which politicians of all parties speak in circles. We are used to it in advertising where we are sold things based on partial truths in the hope that we will spend our money on this product or that product. We encounter “masks” and “veils” everywhere in our lives, so we should not be surprised that religion . . . the realm in which we practice our faith has veiled reputation also. There have always been those who hide behind religion and faith to keep people from knowing the truth.
In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the congregation in Corinth he speaks about “veils” that hide the truth and that as followers of Jesus it is important to pull back the veils and know the truth. Paul wants people to get beyond the “hype” and see the truth especially when it comes to relating to and knowing God as revealed in Jesus.
When it comes to relationships, we know that it seems that they come in layers. Come August of this year my wife and I will be celebrating our 40th anniversary . . . and, we have known each other for a long, long time. When our relationship began, we did not really know each other that well despite the fact that we thought we did because we were in love. Actually, we started our relationship looking at one another from behind “veils” and “masks” . . . looking at what we wanted to sell and what we wanted to believe. Through the years we have pulled back the veil and revealed the real people behind the “veils” and “masks” . . . it is amazing that we are still together after we learned the truth! As the years have passed by, we know each other for who we really are . . . we know the truth about each other . . . and, I would say that we love each other more today than we did the day we met.
But it took work . . . lots of work within us as individuals and as a couple as we opened and explored our relationship. We had to pull the veil back and explore what was revealed. It is the same when it comes to our faith as the followers of Jesus. Though we have a corporate understanding of Jesus, it still comes down to a one-on-one relationship that is an intimacy between the believer and Jesus. As individuals as we pull back the veil and let the light shines into us . . . into our hearts . . . and drive out the darkness to reveal the truth.
Yeah, I know what you are thinking . . . Jesus the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And, that is true as far as it comes to who Jesus is. What is different is that the Jesus we know today is not the same Jesus we encountered when we first gave ourselves over to following him. What is different is that we have changed in our understanding of Jesus . . . of his words . . . of his actions. We have delved deeper into the relationship and with each step we have pulled back the veil to reveal deeper and more powerful truths about him. We have allowed more and more light to pierce the darkness and shine in our hearts. Though we all make the journey into this intimate relationship with Jesus, it is still a personal one unique to each of us.
In this age of great veiling and masking in the world around us, we must work hard at pulling back that which hides to reveal the truth . . . to let the light shine in. We must not be afraid to question that which we hear and encounter . . . not to take everything that is shared as the truth. We must do the work for ourselves and not believe the hype of what we are being told. We mustn’t be scared to get our hands and hearts dirty to find the truth . . . to reveal the light.
We have heard that the “truth will set you free”. And, that is true. With the truth there is no reason to lie . . . there is no reason to build the hype . . . there is no reason to hide. Because of this we should realize that a part of being a faithful follower of Jesus is to have a willingness to pull back the veil whenever we encounter it. To pull it back to reveal the truth . . . to see the reality . . . to know God. We all want to know God.
Yes, I think when it comes to “masks” we are tired of wearing them and encountering them. We have had enough. And, if we have had enough then we must be willing to pull back the “veil” and set free the light and truth so that all can see. If we can do that then we never have to wear a “mask” again. We can be who God created and desires us to be—the children of God. The apostle said: “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”
Let us pull back the veil . . . for our sake and the sake of God’s Kingdom. Amen.
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