I Miss Their Smiles

By Sarah McDonald

Many things have changed over the past few months, but perhaps the most visible change is that of people wearing masks in public.

My husband recounted a story to me of taking our 2-year-old “Happy Face” to the pediatrician’s office only to have her try to pull his mask off the entire time. She even made faces at him in an effort to get him to smile at her.

She missed seeing his smile.

What “Happy Face” illustrated, in her childlike way, I find myself experiencing regularly.

I miss greeting friends and neighbors and even strangers with a smile. I find myself smiling under my mask to acknowledge people and then wonder to myself if they even noticed.

I miss their smiles.

I wonder, often, what it must be like for our priests and deacons on the altar. With a masked congregation, do they know that people are smiling in reaction to their homilies? I offer up a prayer each Mass for our clergy, because it must be so odd for them not to see their parishioners’ faces and expressions.

I bet they miss the smiles.

So how are we to witness our faith with joy and bring Christ to others if people can’t see our smiles?

My suggestion – smile anyway. Be a person of hope and “shine the light” in the darkness so that others may see the joy of Christ in you.