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A Sagely Word
18"When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their detestable idol worship. 19And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts (lit. hearts of flesh) instead, 20so they will obey my laws and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. (Ezekiel 11.18-20, NLT)
*Ezekiel, a mystical visionary, was from the Southern Kingdom of what had been the unified kingdom of Israel. He became a Hebrew prophet in Babylon, the first Older Testament prophet to receive the call to preach outside the Holy Land. As one of the exiles deported by Nebuchadnezzar, King of the Babylonian Empire, in 597, his first task was to prepare his fellow deportees in Babylon for the final destruction of Jerusalem, which they believed to be inviolable. Accordingly, the first part of his book consists of reproaches for Israel's past and present sins and the prediction of a further devastation of the land of promise and a more general exile. In 587, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, thereby, vindicating Ezekiel before his unbelieving compatriots. Like his contemporary Jeremiah, Ezekiel placed importance on what we call “a change of heart,” or what Christian contemplatives came to call Conversion of the Heart.
Commentary
A Jewish story tells of a famous rabbi posing a question to his disciples. He inquires: “What should a person strive for most in life?”
“To have a good eye,” replies Rabbi Yacov.
“To be a good friend,” answers Rabbi Yeshua.
“To be a good neighbor,” responds Rabbi Yose.
“To get wisdom,” answers Rabbi Simeon.
“To have a good heart,” says Rabbi Eliezer.
The famous rabbi nods, saying, “The words of Eliezer are profoundest, for his answer includes all others.”
Later, the famous rabbi poses another query: “What should a person most avoid in life?”
“An evil eye,” says Rabbi Yacov.
“An evil friend,” answers Rabbi Yeshua.
“An evil neighbor,” replies Rabbi Yose.
“One who borrows but does not return,” says Rabbi Simeon.
“A bad heart,” observes Rabbi Eliezer.
Again, the famous rabbi speaks, “Eliezer’s answer is most pleasing, for his includes all others.”
The spiritual journey is very simple. The spiritual journey is a consistent nurturing of the heart, through going inward to our Deepest Self and outward to others. We meet the living Christ in the heart, then we have the Christ to take to others. We share out of our personal experience of how Grace changes lives and heals relationships. Love is what leads us inward and outward.
A friend and I are in prayer about taking Holy Communion outside the walls of the church to the people outside those walls. To do that is to follow Christ, who did little work inside the synagogue. Thankfully, the denomination I serve has an open Table, wherein anyone, with respect for Christ, is invited to the Table of Christ. That Table, being the Table of Christ, is the Table of Love.
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The open Table is a profound symbol of the inclusiveness and gracefulness of the Church I serve in, with gratitude and delight, the United Methodist Church. Indeed, our motto for openness is “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors.” Without “Open Hearts,” openness cannot exist. With it, we can meet in the Communion of the Heart with anyone, anywhere.
The heart signifies the essence of each of us. This heart does not exclude any part of us, rather, heart refers to the deepest aspect of the Self, that point where all we are intersects with all God is.
By having open hearts, we meet persons who have closed hearts. They are suffering from many things that led to shutting the doors of the heart. Many of these persons have never felt loved; many of them have suffered so much abuse they are afraid to trust, again. Then, sadly, some persons have closed hearts due to their attachment to unhealthy religion. Jesus comes to show us a way of being religious that renews and opens the heart to God and others, in Love.
Heart refers to that Point wherein we all are one. Here, in God, we are equal and together. This Point, regardless of the changes in time, is left untouched by the changes of time. Humans define oneness based on external conditions and expectations. Contemplatives experience, directly, a communion with each other, for they know underneath the external signs of unity is the heart, that living Point, Who is Love. God is undivided by religion, custom, or creed; Christ is that Point of Love. All aspiration to know God is contained in Christ, for Christ is the sign of the Love of God and our shared heart, together.
The heart is there, in each of us, prior to all that divides us. However, the heart can be covered up, and this covering we can call “original sin.” The spiritual journey is a return to the heart, my heart, your heart, the heart of God. Only in God do we find our heart; in finding our heart, we find God.
Never underestimate the power of the heart. Rather than get sidetracked by arguments and disagreements over external differences, open your heart, for there is in the person most unlike you a sameness with you that is more important than anything external to that heart connection. In the heart can we learn to love, unselfishly, and we learn not to be judgmental or afraid of our differences. Only in the heart do we find peace and communion within a healthy diversity.
Spiritual Exercises
1. Reflect on the opening saying by Ezekiel. What does he mean by “heart of flesh” and “heart of stone”?
2. Have you enjoyed a sense of oneness with someone that, externally, there would be little indication of the possibility of such sense of oneness?
3. As you reflect on your spiritual journey, do you see how God has progressively led you to be more inclusive over time? Explain.
4. What do you think about taking the Table of Christ outside the walls of the churches?
5. What does it feel like when your heart closes? When your heart is open?
6. Do your daily meditation and spiritual reading…
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