Heart to Heart

AM Psalm 41, 52 • PM Psalm 44
1 Kings 13:1-10 • Phil. 1:1-11 • Mark 15:40-47

Paul writes to the Philippians in 1:7 “It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace…” There is a footnote that says that he possibly said “because I hold you in my heart” instead of “you hold me in your heart.” This really catches my attention. One of my favorite poems was written by E. E. Cummings. It is called “i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart).” I have always felt that the writer of this poem is speaking to God. E. E. Cummings was a spiritual man, the son of a minister. He considered himself Unitarian but he merged this belief with the philosophy of Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism emphasizes the belief in the unity of all creation and the innate goodness of humanity, and it asserts that divinity pervades all of nature and humanity. I find this philosophy very compelling.

To hold someone in my heart, and to hold God and Christ in my heart is a deep prayer; a prayer that is steeped in an inseparable unity between humanity and divinity. A prayer that needs no words. A prayer that just needs presence in the here and now; a prayer that just needs Love. The teachings of Jesus, the writings of many Christian mystics and others often refer to the heart (“Path of the Heart,” “Prayer of the Heart,” “Seeing with the eye of the heart,” “the pure in heart,” etc). In Philippians 1:9-10, Paul writes “And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight, to help you to determine what is best…” To me, that sounds like what living from the heart can bring about.

Written by Deborah Griffin

...who is looking forward to the cooler temperatures and brilliant colors of Autumn.