Winning Words 10/30/09
“There’s nothing that gives more assurance than a mask.” (Colette) It’s not only on Halloween that people wear masks. In fact, our own face can become a mask, when we seek to hide our inner feelings. I once met Brace Beemer who played The Lone Ranger, the famous masked man. I liked that show best on radio when it fed my imagination. Pay attention tomorrow to the masks the kids will be wearing. ;-) Jack

FROM MKH IN MICHIGAN: So I ask my 2 year old nephew (Michael) what are you going to be for Halloween, he says Michael, I say are you going to get a costume he says yes, I say who will it be he says Michael, he looks at me like I have two heads! Got to love the little people! FROM JACK: In Church history, St. Michael is said to be the saint that stands up for children. Your Michael has a great name. And he's clever, too, for a 2-yr-old.

FROM MOLINER CF: Masked man cannot hide soul. Gitum up, Scout. FROM JACK: Hi-Yo Sliver, Away!

FROM CJL IN OHIO: There's a book titled: "The masks people wear".

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: The one I'm thinking of is Batman. Bet there will be a lot more Batmans out there than Lone Rangers. But the Lone Ranger had the idea first so he gets a lot of credit. I also like those old and new movies of life in the 18th century or something, about the time of Mozart was it? when the elegantly dressed ladies held up colorful eyeglasses in front of their faces. Wonder if that fashion will ever come back.
FROM JACK: How about The Phantom of the Opera...and Zorro...and The Green Hornet?

FROM PRPH IN MINNESOTA: hopefully no one will be wearing a death mask! FROM JACK: I guess that there are cultures where plaster casts have been made of the faces of dead persons, as a way of remembering what the deceased looked like. Maybe it would be better to make a mask of us at some time other than at death.

FROM JT IN MICHIGAN: If you had been preaching this morning (which I assume you weren't) I would have thought you and Rick Bass had conferred on your subject. His homily this morning was also re: the masks we wear in order to hide our inner selves. I have memories of the "Masked Man" also. I don't think I ever met Bruce Beemer but as a child I remember my folks taking Pat and me out to Metamora (which was a very long way from Southfield.) Whomever my dad knew let us go to the farm/ranch where the horse who played Silver was kept. It was a big deal for us, probably bigger than meeting the Lone Ranger would have been. It good to have long-term memories isn't it--especially when I can't remember what I did yesterday.