The Mask

Superhero and alter ego. Two different people, but the same person. These two things appear to be completely necessary for a good superhero to exist. I love Batman, but who would he be without Bruce Wayne (Who else is excited for The Dark Knight Rises?)?

The more realistic question for us to ask is who would Bruce Wayne be without Batman.









I say this because when the alter ego takes on Superhero, he or she steps outside of reality and becomes something other. This reminds me of Halloween growing up as a kid. I would get so excited to "become" someone else (usually Boomer Esiason) for those couple hours of trick-or-treating. Yet, there would always be this relief when I could take the costume off and just be myself.

Maybe you've experienced that feeling around Halloween as well.

Maybe you've experienced this feeling in daily life.

Too often we wear a mask, or multiple masks. Batman doesn't allow Bruce Wayne to fully become Bruce Wayne. He is this sort of half-person who is always torn between living a somewhat-normal life and dealing with the troubles of Gotham City in relation to his tremendous bat powers. The masks we put on in certain situations, masks that cover our hurt, frustration, joy, pain, in short, our very selves, prevent us from experiencing "life to the full" (Jn. 10:10).

Life to the full is what we are promised and not being ourselves, fully ourselves, completely blocks us from the abundance that is offered.

Halloween is a great time to reflect on how you can be genuine in every circumstance, and to recall that there is only one Person who can give you the courage, strength, and healing, to take off the mask.