Toward the Heart of Jesus
AM Psalm 72 • PM Psalm 119:73-96
Lev. 19:1-18 • 1 Thess. 5:12-28 • Matt. 6:19-24
The first time I looked at these readings, I was not inspired. I had nothing to say. I remembered the first time I attended an Episcopal church, in Columbia, Missouri, in the 60s. The young priest came down from the pulpit and walked among the small congregation as he confessed that he was uninspired and hadn’t been able to write a sermon for that day. He invited the attendees to speak instead, to share insights or questions they had about the readings. And they did.
But the Bible, being the Bible, and me being human, interact differently on different days. A couple of days later, I read the scripture again. Psalm 72 brought up such a longing in me, for a government that will “defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.” This psalmist is talking about a king, but I took it as government in general. Later in the same passage, “For he delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper. He has pity on the weak, and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life.” I want that so much.
In the 60s, I was naïve. I trusted the government, I supported the Vietnam War, at first. Part of my longing is sadness about losing that innocence, which felt so safe. Through many events of the last 50 years, my trust in most institutions has eroded. This leads me to Radical Optimism, by Beatrice Bruteau, the book we are reading for Theology on Tap. The book’s subtitle is Practical Spirituality in an Uncertain World. Even though the second edition was published in 2002, she speaks to today’s problems, to my problems. To finding safety and security through contemplation and meditation, “in the heart of Jesus.” And this leads to optimism. I believe that’s the answer to my dilemma. She is helping me commit to that search and to my spiritual practices more diligently than I have been. I pray that all of us may find ways to move ever closer to the “heart of Jesus.” And to find some optimism in this uncertain world.
Written by Cathy Campbell
Cathy is a semi-retired professional counselor. She makes a joyful sound in the choir. She advocates for marginalized groups, especially LGBTQ people.