Masquerade!

Last night a long awaited visit to see The phantom of the Opera. 

This was a show that for as long as I can remember I have wanted to see... where better to see it than in London's West End, a place that is almost becoming a second home for a friend and me :)... And was very much worth the wait...

One of the songs called Masquerade set in a ball... 

the owners of the theatre joke of the Phantom not being able to make it... in the chorus two sections really stood out

Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade.
Masquerade!
Hide your face, so the world will never find you!
Masquerade!
Every face a different shade.
Masquerade!
Look around -
there's another
mask behind you! 

The second part  being 

Masquerade!
Seething shadows
breathing lies.
Masquerade!
You can fool
any friend who
ever knew you!

The original author was interested in story but led to be a lawyer by his father never let this aspect of his life fall to far away. led a interesting life and one that in some parts resembles the story of the younger brother in the Prodigal Son inheriting a large amount of money and loosing it all within a year.. though inheriting after his fathers death. He to came too his senses

Not downhearted, Leroux begged a job on L'Echo de Paris in 1890 and was asked to combine his knowledge of the law and love of the theater as court reporter and drama critic! It was as an investigative reporter that Leroux found the greatest satisfaction at this period of his life. His paper allowed him to probe suspected malpractice in the local police force and public administration and his hard-hitting reports not only exposed several corrupt officials but also made his name as a journalist.This passport to adventure took him from Finland, south to the Caspian Sea, through Italy, Egypt and Morocco, frequently disguising himself in order to be able to witness events at first hand.

We all wear masks for many different reasons... though not always for the good, masks that we make to protect us or at least we think they do.

 Just down from where I live at vauxhall cross is  The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), often known as MI6, where masks and secrets are part an parcel of everyday life 

The song led me to thinking and wondering what masks do I wear, do those who live as my neighbour wear and what led them to put those masks on. What are the masks of the people in my patch of garden.. And how to come alongside, to bring Jesus into those places those private fears... 

In the phantom the mask was to cover a disfigured face... 

what tortured souls lay buried beneath a masked smile in the lift... a well dressed life hides a what is truly going on. the smiling face we put on as we walk into the church building not letting our brothers and sisters be Christ to us. hiding behind the words "I'm Good, Thing's are good"   I know I am and have been guilty of doing that.

When I've been asked in the past to share testimony I start it something like this

Have you ever taken a mug out of the cupboard from the outside it look fine. You place you coffee or tea bag in, it still seem fine. it is only when you put the hot water in that the crack that has been there hiding just below the surface just out of sight shows it's presence.

The cracks had been there for some time but hidden, waiting for that one time when stress, weight or heat would be to much and things come apart...

During the show the young women whom the phantom has become attracted to pulls the mask off to show what lies behind. without any walking alongside, without any place of having dealt with the fear. that mask being removed was terrifying, painful devastating.

To let someone walk with you, slowly ( though often faster than would want) letting God into those fears, giving him those experiences. That is a hard place to be. It's a raw place a very vulnerable place... Am I willing to let Jesus come and remove the masks that are in my life...  or to continue to be like the person in the song to fool any friend who ever new you or to be real and honest that others may feel safe to lay aside or at least begin to remove there mask one sequin at a time!!!!