July 5 – Removing the Veil

Gregg’s Reflection

I think about the times in my life when I’ve been looking at the world through a thin, invisible veil. Maybe it was a season of grief when everything felt dim, or a stretch of busyness when I couldn’t see past my to-do list. The veil doesn’t always feel heavy, but it keeps me from fully seeing the beauty, truth, and presence of God right in front of me.

Paul writes that when we turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. That moment can be dramatic, like a sudden flash of insight, or gentle, like the slow lifting of morning fog. Either way, the first thing I notice is that God was always there—loving, guiding, and inviting me deeper—I just couldn’t see clearly until the veil moved.

Removing the veil takes honesty. I have to admit what’s clouding my view—resentment, fear, pride—and hold it before God. And when the Spirit clears my vision, I not only see God more clearly, but I see others with more compassion. What was hidden comes into focus, and I can live more fully in the light. I recently had cataract surgery, and now colors and distant shapes are much more visible to me. The veil has lifted.

Scripture

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.

2 Corinthians 3:16–17

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Matthew 5:8

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Ancient Quotes

Remove the veil from the eyes of your heart, and you shall see God clearly.

St. Augustine, Sermon 88

Modern Quotes

The closer we get to the truth, the more the layers fall away until only love remains.

Cynthia Bourgeault, The Wisdom Way of Knowing, p. 64

Journaling Prompts

• What “veils”—habits, fears, or assumptions—are keeping you from seeing God clearly right now?
  
  
• When have you experienced a sudden or gradual lifting of a veil in your life?
  
  
• How might removing your own veil help you see others more compassionately?
  
  
• What is one way you can invite the Spirit to clear your vision today?
  

👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 27 Reflection: Mirror/Face of God