UnMasking

This week, my daughter and I will have a chance to talke to some of her classmates at college, here is just a small portion of the notes that we will be using.

How do I remove a mask?

First, you must acknowledge That You Wear Masks!

We all do it and the first person that you need to convince is your self …some times mask wearing is called for (work, when you are feeling ill and the situation calls for another attitude like sing in a concert. But first tell yourself that you do wear a mask from time to time.
People in various kinds of recovery groups would tell you that the first step to healing is to admit that you have a problem. So, it is important to be honest that you do sometimes wear masks; we all do. We need to establish this fact not to go on a guilt trip about it, but so that we can begin to remove them. So, here is the question – When, and with whom, do you wear masks? Is it with friends? A certain group/groups of friends? At school? At home? With adults?
We need to recognize those situations in our lives where we are wearing masks and doing something that doesn't reflect who we really are. Once we have the self-awareness of these particular situations we can deal with them. I think a lot of people continue to wear masks without even realizing it because they haven't really thought about the areas of their life where they wear masks.

Next you need to return to those Unmask times.

Can you remember 'back in the day' when you didn't wear masks so much? What were you like then? Many people struggle with the mask of being a follower, of doing what other people want them to do, rather than being themselves. What do you really like to do? Are there certain hobbies/sports/activities that you really like to do? Rediscover these. If you are not sure, you might want to begin experimenting with healthy and fun activities that sound interesting to you. Join a club, play a sport, volunteer for a charitable organization - all of these are great ways to meet new people, develop new interests, and rediscover who you really are.

Then follow that up by Hang-Out with people who are in the removal process just like you.

A wise friend of mine once said, "Show me your friends, and I will show you your future." Start trying to be open to more people. And remember, stop putting masks on other people – if you want to be mask-free, it is very important to stop judging other people – give lots of people a chance to be a good friend of yours. I have talked to lots of people who have labeled others inaccurately, and found out later that a person they thought to be very 'uncool' ended up being a great friend! Pray to God that he will lead you to people who will treasure you and love you as you are. Start looking for people who might be in a similar situation as you. Youth groups, youth masses and Christian people are great places to look because they are usually trying to be masks-free, too. If you need help finding a good youth group or youth Mass in your area, let me know.

And lastly, remember what Jesus did to keep the mask off?

The role model was Jesus. He was tempted in every way to put the mask on, but he didn’t. He was Himself all of the time.

When Jesus was sad, he cried. He didn't wear the masks of being a tough guy who doesn't cry. (John 11:35)

When Jesus was happy, he laughed and smiled. He went to parties, and was not afraid to have a good time. (John 2:1-11)

When Jesus was scared, He prayed. He knew He needed help, and was willing to ask His Father in heaven for help. (Matthew 26:36)

When Jesus needed others, He asked His friends for help. He knew He needed other people, too. (Matthew 26:38)

When Jesus saw people who needed a friend, He hung out with them. He wasn't afraid of what others might think. (Luke 5:29-30)

You see, Jesus never wore masks. So, He can help us to resist temptation to wear masks. So, when you struggle with masks, ask for Jesus to help you. He will. One of my regular prayers is "Jesus, make me into the person that you created me to be."