The God Behind the Curtain

The God Behind the Curtain By Mark D. Stucky Curtains sometimes keep apart things that need connecting and conceal things that, in their time, need uncovering. “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain,” the hiding humbug Wizard of Oz implored in vain when discovered by Dorothy, her dog, and companions, revealing the true presence of the mysterious Oz. Millenia earlier, once every year, on the Day of Atonement, a high priest entered behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies, where the mysterious metaphysical presence of God resided, veiled, hidden, and isolated from the people outside the temple. This separation and glances at glory continued for centuries, but the moment Christ died on the cross, the earth quaked, and that concealing temple curtain ripped wide open, removing that separation between us and God. Now…do pay attention to the God who was behind the curtain, the one who inhabits Holies of Holies inside human hearts. (First published in Agape Review, 8 Aug. 2022. See also my poems “Darkest Night, Morning Lights” and "Gilded Crosses?") (Cropped image created originally by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay.com.)