Look At My Heart

The Phantom of the Opera hides his scars, hides his heart, and hides his life in the darkness of the caverns underneath the Opera Populaire. Abandoned by his parents, mistreated as a circus sideshow freak, his escape to the opera house seems a welcome reprieve. Unable to face the scornful looks of the public, the musical genius makes the haunting of the opera the arena of his life. It is the innocent and beautiful orphaned Christine Daae who captures his heart, but he always hides behind the illusions. She imagines him the Angel of Music. Phantom's obsessive descent into madness is driven by his belief that Christine has a heart so pure, that her love could overlook the disfigured face that is hidden by the mask he wears. Unfortunately, her heart belongs to the handsome young Raoul. The darkness of the Phantom's existence speaks to the loneliness and sense of failure that many feel when they look at their own lives. Perhaps Christine might have loved The Phantom, but his murderous acts cooled her sympathic feelings toward him. How many of us can look at our past and recognize so many wrong turns and poor choices? We don't even have to look backwards far into the distance ... a few weeks will do. Why does The Phantom of the Opera speak to our hearts? Is it because we recognize the haunted man behind the mask who dwells in the shadows of the Opera Populaire? I believe this is why Jesus Christ is so beautiful to us and we so willingly embrace Him to become the source of love and life. He calls us out of the dark shadows and out into the light of His love and acceptance. His acceptance of the life that we have scarred is not a matter of sympathy so much as it is a matter of healing. When we wander back into the shadows and begin trying on our mask again, covering up our disfigurement when we have sinned, he awaits our return. And just as he did for the fig-leaf attired Adam and Eve, he gives us appropriate clothing that truly covers our shame. He reminds us that we no longer need the masks of our insecurity and feelings of rejection. He caresses the disfigured. He calms the violent. He embraces the lonely. Why we ever run back to the shadows, I don't know. But I am so relieved that He awaits us on the stage of life. In His opera, we take center stage and He throws roses to our feet. Not because we have performed so well, but because He has raised us up from darkness to receive a new life bright and beautiful. Our reluctance to accept his unbelievable love is a testament to the truth that we may never remove our last mask ... until that last day. Look at my heart again Look at the mess I’ve got it in I’m trying to trust in You To know that you’ll see me through Through my pride Through my shame Into Your love Into Your grace I’m not looking back Till I see Your face & I’m running straight to You --Space In Between Us, Building 429