Epiphany
February 2, 2016

Scripture Reading: Exodus 34:29-35

When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. –Exodus 34:33-35

The wearing of veils in our day and time is a controversial issued tied up in our ability to accept differing religious and cultural practices. I was hospitalized around the age of five for a short time in our local hospital which at that time was operated by a Catholic order of nuns. I had never seen a nun before, at least not one clad in a habit from head to toe. I remember not knowing what to make of them. My mother explained that they were nurses and all nurses, like the ones in my doctor’s office, wore uniforms. These nurses just wore a different kind of uniform because of their faith. It is a rare sight to see a nun in a habit anymore.

When I worked for the state, I did job interviews to fill an economist vacancy in my division. Two of the applicants were Muslim. One presented in an attractive business suit with a colorful blouse and had no head covering, the other wore a black scarf and an all-black pant suit including a black blouse. This is emblematic of the world in which we now live where cultures and religions intersect in all facets of life.

The story about Moses’ worship practices as they continued following his descent from the mountain does not say whether he chose to continue to cover his face because he felt that was best for the Israelites or because it was meaningful to him personally and his relationship with God. I believe this scripture suggest the latter and I believe it gives us guidance on how we should respect the practices people of all religions follow as they honor God. What is meaningful for one may not be meaningful to me and what is meaningful to me may not have any significance for another.

Prayer: Lord may all your followers worship you in spirit and in truth as they feel compelled through their relationship with you and grant us the peace we need to love them for their love of you as demonstrated in their practices. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.