| Ezekiel "Where is Our Heart?" |
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| Written by Rev. Denise Peckham | |
| Saturday, 31 December 2005 | |
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When I taught preschool at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church up the street I remember a three year old telling me one day that Jesus lived in her heart. While that may be typical of what we hear from many children, for some of the children in my class this was not good news. One young child was convinced that if Jesus lived there, in his heart, he would die because Jesus would get “too big” to fit in his heart. Today’s three scripture readings come from three very different times in history. Ezekiel’s reading is from nearly 600 years before the birth of Jesus, the 2 Corinthians reading is from the mid-50s and many scholars believe it is a compilation of letter fragments, some not even written by Paul. Matthew’s writing came probably around the year 80 to 90. Yet all three readings point to one thing: God is love. From the beginning God is love and from the beginning this love would over power all the hate and violence and injustice we humans could throw at it. And it just makes no sense. There is no indication in Scripture that chaos would rule in the order of creation or that humanity would be left to fend for itself in spite of our disobedience to the will of God. It would be easier for us if in fact we could say that God abandoned us to our own sin because we would not have to be accountable. But God is love. God tells the people of Israel, the people sanctified and set apart, that even though they have profaned the name of their Creator, they will receive a new heart, a new spirit and they will be made righteous. We call this undeserved gift grace, a gift we cannot purchase because it has been freely given at a cost none of us can pay. And with the writer of 2 Corinthians we can say, thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Yet all I can think of is “where is our heart?” My son Nick bought the Live 8 DVD set and we were watching part of it this week. Bob Geldof, a promoter of the event showed the film from Africa that he showed at Live Aid 20 years ago. I remember that 20 year old tape from the first time it aired and the tears I cried watching it stung not only my face this time, but my soul. While the film from 20 years ago was taped in Kenya, one only has to watch the latest news from the Sudan to see the same thing; human beings living in conditions most of our dogs will never know, starving, being abused, dying from treatable illnesses. The saddest reality is that you don’t have to go to Africa to see what they filmed; watch the film from New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; go to downtown Dallas this afternoon; visit any of the prisons in the United States; human beings living in conditions most of our dogs will never know, starving, being abused, dying from treatable illnesses. Where is our heart? While it may be easy to blame the politicians or lack of social program funding, we are all responsible. The heart of stone gives nothing out of its abundance – no food or water, no clothing, no visit. It is quick to make excuses and blame the needy for their own plight. We have all heard it said, “those people don’t work hard enough” or “just get a job” or “they’re sinners getting what they deserve.” But poverty and need is much more complex and listening to the stories of those caught in the crossfire reminds us of our own humanity and our own failures. I recently had a young girl come to the church asking for rental assistance; when she had finished telling me her story she hugged me and said, “Thank you for caring.” I had not promised her anything at that point, I didn’t know we would have anything to give financially. But how many doors were slammed in her face, and how much of her dignity had been robbed; I knew that day Jesus had gotten too big for not only my heart, but the heart of many of you as you opened your check books and contributed to the PIN funds. This happens when Jesus gets too big to live only in our hearts. And that three year old had it right, we do die when Jesus gets that big and it is a wonderful thing. It’s wonderful because on that day we can say with confidence, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).” It is then that we experience the power of the covenant God made with humanity. Our hearts of stone are turned to flesh; we receive a new spirit, we are cleansed and are made righteous; we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the imprisoned. We give out of the love we can never fully understand, but cannot hold onto. We speak God’s love again and again by doing all the good we can. Today we will come to the table and experience the covenant made with all creation in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here, at this table, you can find your heart. God invites you this day to take your place in the covenant, throwing away your heart of stone for a heart of flesh. I invite you to let Jesus get so big that he can no longer fit in your heart. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Amen! |
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