I once heard of a minister who had a notice beside the coat stand in the hallway of his house that read. 'hang up your coat and your mask'. Today, I've pondered how many images I project to others? How many of these are masks that are of my own making and which ones are imposed upon me by others?
James Arthur Baldwin, the American essayist remarked “Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.” he also wrote “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Taking off my mask in the presence of a loving one who shares my vulnerability means coming face to face with my true image, warts and all and sharing the beauty of that encounter. My unmasking surely has something to do with what St Paul meant when he talked about the glory of Christ as the one who is the exact likeness of God and I can share that likeness. Now that's an astounding image to comprehend.
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