Randy Hain encourages us to "get real" for the new year. How phony are you? How many different masks do you wear? You put on your career mask to please your boss and fit in. Then you put on your parent mask or your child mask. Then you put on your friend mask.
We all have to do this from time to time in different ways. That's how society works. However, we also have to be authentic. We need courage to actually be ourselves. The problem with being ourselves is that we don't trust who we really are. We worry that the unhappy, insecure, immature and selfish person will show his face.
So we plaster on that happy smiling face, but the smiling face is too often a grimace. We plaster it on in the morning and expect it to stay put. When we do we're kind of like botox victims. We have a plastic face which we present to everyone.
The problem with being more real is that our dark side might show. We might reveal things we wish to keep hidden. The only answer therefore is to be transformed from the inside out. Only when we are beautiful on the inside--full of the Holy Spirit and full of Christ's love--will we have the confidence to be totally real.
Remember the story of the Velveteen Rabbit? He only became real by being loved.
So what's the answer? Pray More. Only in prayer will we be truly transformed.
Read Randy's article here.
This is one area I am working on: being authentic. I struggle with this. I have always been a people-pleaser, and have had a lifelong struggle of people being big and my God being small. I can name you chapter and verse from my life where I've been authentic, and have ended up paying for it, emotionally, mentally and losing friendships. My husband is currently struggling right now with this very thing.
ReplyDeleteWhat pains me most is when I get better treatment from the world for being authentic, than I do from fellow believers. That carries a sting like no other.
I'm hoping this year, the year I've named the year of grace here in our home, that God's grace will be big enough in my life to over-arch this...and that He will guide me in being strong in my authenticness (yes, I just made a new word!).
The Christian group Casting Crowns did a song "Stained Glass Masquerade" that addresses this very thing. A line:
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Our churches and fellow believers should be the places and people we can be most authentic with...where the masks come off and the masquerade stops.
Fr. L, I'm starting to get grumpy about all the mask-talk.
ReplyDeleteIs dressing up for Mass somehow is "hiding" the fact that you wear old work clothes when you paint the house? Not at all.
We bring out different sides of ourselves at different times. As long as the side you are showing is really your own side -- maybe even a side you are still trying to grow into -- it's not a mask. It's a facet of who you are.
Smile. http://papastronsay.blogspot.com/2011/12/smile.html
ReplyDeletePractising the presence of God is a good way to become increasingly authentic.
ReplyDeleteI'm a terrible show off at times, I enjoy watching people see what I imagine I am good at. Then I get really ashamed and cringe at the memory of using fellow humans as my ego's audience.
I'm a bloomin disaster area at times haha!
Meditating on Jesus, standing or sitting next to me, in public (because He really is there infact), helps me to keep my actions and words in check. Overall, the result for everyone is much more pleasant and my input is more readily received as I do have gifts of self to offer, just not blast them all out at once!
Well, it works if I work it.
Small steps.
Helpful thoughts; thanks!
ReplyDelete