The Unveiling

II Corinthians 3:12–18

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the LORD, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the LORD’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the LORD, who is the Spirit.”

The Apostle Paul recounts to the Corinthians a very familiar part of their shared history: “When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the LORD's presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD (Exod 34:33–35).” He explained to them why the veil was important to the Israelites at that time, that it was because their hearts were darkened. Somehow he echoes a gospel truth from the pen of the Apostle John, to St. Paul, indeed “this is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed (John 3:19–20).” St. Paul will later expound in this letter that “our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (II Cor 4:3–4). It is difficult to be blind, to not see is such an impairment, to refuse to see is even worse, as I have shared yesterday. Many atheist scientists believe that religion, Christianity in particular is a “fairy tale” for those scared of the dark (the veil, unknowing, lack of understanding), but scientists who are Christians maintain that on the contrary (as we see the veil here isn’t over the believer), Professor Lennox described atheism as a "delusion" and a "fairy tale for those afraid of the light". “God is not the same kind of explanation as science is," he said. "God is the explanation of why there is a universe at all in which science can be done." Jesus Christ is that very same Creator-God and as the Son, “He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together (Col 1:17).” As Easter nears, let us remind ourselves of the veil that was torn by glory: “One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave Him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take Him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard His cry and saw how He died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:36–38). By this The Holy Spirit Who is God Himself, has torn the veil that separated us from Him and He brings us towards an “ever-increasing glory” of Christlikeness and understanding of God, of life, of ourselves, and of the universe and space-time we live in. Holy Spirit, LORD, guide us today and all the days of our lives. Let us shine Christ’s glory and let His Light powerfully pierce through the veil of those who are yet to believe. Amen.