Peekaboo

We all know the game. You hide behind a pillow, or a newspaper…then you peek out and let your face be seen…and the little child squeals with delight. The scriptures say it this way: “Show us your face, Lord, and we shall be saved!”


We are in the season of the Light, the Christmas/Epiphany season of the Church Year. The Light has come, but these weeks ahead are like a game of Peekaboo. It all began with Mary, who is amazed at the plan. She says, “OK, let it be…” and with these words she echoes the very words of creation in Genesis: “Let there be…Light!” and a new creation begins, growing for nine months in her womb. Then Joseph is brought in…then at the birth, the shepherds; then the Magi, representing all the nations. Next comes the apostles coming into the Light at the Wedding of Cana, and finally to all the Jewish nation at the Baptism of Jesus. Now the Light is out in the open…and as the Church Year flows on, we will see the game turn violent. We will try to rid ourselves of the Light as the Paschal Mystery draws us into the Lenten season.


Little by little, the Divine Game unfolds as if the Revealer knows we can only take so much at one time before we blink, overwhelmed. We have learned to avoid the Light. We have learned to hide, ashamed of our darkness, of our weakness, of our ignorance, of our blindness. But the Light comes gently, like a rose tapping on the window pane of our awareness, hoping we will open to its fragrance and smile.


So as this Divine Game goes on may we not only smile, may we squeal with delight. May the Light weave us ‘round about and steal kisses…may it tickle us until we are weak, until we are swept up in its arms and carried off safe, healed, and secure. For this is what it means to be saved.

O wondrous Love,

Hiding in our very humanness…

Peeking out to charm us…

Drawing us into your game.

Coming to woo us as a baby!

Is this the way for a God to act?

But you hide…

And we seek…

Ending up caught

And wrapped around your little baby finger.

Let it be.