Several times in the last weeks I have encountered some folk whom I had only seen with a mask on because of the pandemic protocols. At first glance I didn’t recognize them! There was so much more information and affect to them than I had known before. I wondered if they recognized me, although there are any other aspects of myself that are mainly visible–size, coloring, tone of voice (though muffled!), familiar motions and gestures. It was clear that my encounters had been partial up till then, and now I could see much more of the entire human being with whom I was interesting. It was a gift of surprise, of welcome, of joy!

I became aware that the masks had hidden me too–just part of my upper visage, my expressions, the colors in my face, but not my reactions, only what was visible above and below the mask. I have mused of what that meant–physically and metaphorically. What am I able and willing to reveal about myself to others? Are there parts of my soul and spirit that can and need to be appropriately revealed to those with whom I am in community?

So Halloween is here, and to the delight of many, costumes and masks are worn. I remember years when Holly Hobbies, Draculas, Caspars and werewolves abounded in my neighborhood. Nowadays on my block, we don’t get any trick-or-treaters any more, and I miss the surprises in opening the door to a tiny Alice in Wonderland or a huge Mickey Mouse. And I do wonder where and what do masks play part in my world? I still, out of caution, wear one when I go out for errands or in a crowd. I am deeply mindful and careful of those for whom a disease, any of those germs floating around this liminal time, can put them at great risk to body and spirit.

Yet more and more I want to have a face that is “unveiled,” open to sky and sun, uncovered to those I meet and greet, free to breathe deeply the freshness and flavor of the created world. In the main I aspire to have an “unveiled face” with people I meet and greet, longtime friends and new acquaintances. and beyond that to have my face open and unhidden to the Spirit who lives in and around me–to be honest, to be candid, to be trusting, to be unafraid. Hebrew scripture recounts how Moses’ face was set aglow when he encountered the Holy One, even as he came close to HolY Presence. And in Paul’s affirmation “all of us with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.” This comes from the Spirit! That sounds so liberating, so organic, so whole in relationships–human and divine!

I am left with my day to day, hour to hour discernment–where am I allowing myself to be seen? and when do I hide? who can see me and how genuine is what can be seen? And does my “unveiled face” allow me full range of compassion and grace when I encounter someone, made in the image of the Holy, trusting that the transformation continuing in me by the Spirit is meant for the good of my own heart, the faithful people that gather near me? And in my journey of Spirit, which continues to need transformation, no matter how old I get, am I learning to be more transparent, more trusting and more compassionate?

Bless the little masked faces as they wander forth tonight, and while they delight in taking on a masked identity for the fun, may they know that no matter who they are, veiled or unveiled, they are loved and cared for just the way they are, by the Holy One who created and loves them, always!