The Divine Masquerade

The other morning I read the "Thought for the Day" from Eknath Easarwan and I couldn't help but think how true it is that we have forgotten who we are.

We are all connected. We are one; yet so many different expressions of the One.Then it was as if I suddenly saw the secret beauty of their hearts, the depths of their hearts where neither sin nor desire nor self-knowledge can reach, the core of their reality, the person that each one is in God's eyes. If only they could see themselves as they really are. If only we could see each other that way all the time, there would be no more war, no more hatred, no more cruelty, no more greed... I suppose the big problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other.
                                                                                  - Thomas Merton

Listening last night to the State of the Union address this occurred to me again. We are all connected though we each appear to be separate. Beneath the outer shell, hidden deep within is that essence of the Divine. It is eternal, infinite, changeless, and so vast. No words can describe this felt-presence, but it is who we are.

We are so caught up in this "divine masquerade" that we have forgotten we are all wearing masks. The irony is that, in each moment, the Divine is calling us to take off our masks and reveal the pure, perfect Self within. When we do, all of our anger against others will melt into compassion and loving kindness and all of our fears into peace, equanimity, and serene trust in each moment just as it is.