Hide and seek

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:6

          I don't know if anyone but a cat lover would know that cats love to sneak into small spaces.  I am constantly on guard to keep the utility room door closed to be sure our George doesn't sneak behind the water heater. Sometimes, George likes to sneak into the closet and into some small corner beneath the clothes. We jokingly tell him that the closet is not a very good place to live. It seems funny only because we are living out of the closet ourselves but for anyone who is still living in the closet, it is a truly sad affair.  Every life and every situation deserves light an truth, no hiding.

          This passage reminds me of the things that are hidden in life. The real to life game of hide and seek adults play.  We certainly do it as people. Not just gay people, but everyone. Almost everyone hides their true self from others. Being completely open would leave you rather vulnerable at times but it certainly would be freeing. Honesty and openness, a breath of fresh air. In fact, I think we rather admire those that don't act falsely, that are true to themselves , open and proud, nothing to hide.

           That's on somewhat of a secular side though, even though I believe as faithful people our faith surely affects how we live. None the less, there s a dichotomy of sorts. Religion is a separate domain. Hiding there is even more curious that it is in the secular or personal world. I am sure there are many prophets and many religions that promote honesty, purity and openness. I do know Jesus certainly does.  It is quite peculiar then that there are so many hidden files within the church. Secrecy of every sort. Cover-ups. Lies to protect the church. These types of actions by the Roman Catholic church seem to be the antithesis of what Jesus taught, lived and died for. Curious indeed. 

             I would argue that the spirit of the second Vatican council, the Spirit itself which promoted and breathed fresh air into the church has been squelched. Coming out of the closet and being honest with oneself, with everyone, in the secular world is not very different from the need of the Church to renew it's commitment to honesty and openness that is a hallmark of Jesus' life in the religious world.

            Take a step out of the closet. Honor truth, openness and self dignity.

Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And 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; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practise cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.