Dear St. John's Community,
Early on when we were still just learning about the threat of coronavirus, I saw one or two people walking around Downtown DC with masks on. I remember experiencing a dissonance, knowing that while it was probably a responsible choice for them to wear their masks, it seemed totally off-putting. A question nagged at me—would there be a day when wearing masks could possibly become the regular thing to do around here?
Well, we know the answer to that.
There is no question that wearing a mask is the responsible thing to do if we go out. And yet it continues to be a sad experience for me. It seems that with masks on, we have walls up. We cannot see the most important part of one another, which is of course our faces. I think about Moses when he had to veil his face after seeing the glory of God so that all that residual glory remaining on his face would not overwhelm the people. It's a sad image that the glory of God would even have to be covered up!
I love the way that some healthcare professionals have taken to pinning photos of themselves on their clothing. That way their patients can see them a little better for the people they really area.
I also appreciate that we are using technology to see each other's faces in other ways. I was recently on a zoom-call-birthday-party, and on the screen were many close friends who had not seen each other's faces all together in real time in many, many years. The callers were calling in from several states and countries.
While none of this really fixes the problem at hand, all of it is a reminder that our faces are precious. Whatever lies ahead, this is something to never forget.
God's peace,
Rob+
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