Readings:
• Deut 30:10-14
• Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37
• Col 1:15-20
• Lk 10:25-37
“The heart,” wrote St. John Chrysostom, “is the most noble of all the members of our body.” The twentieth-century philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand observed that in Scripture the heart is often contrasted, not with the will or intellect, but with the body. The heart is “chosen as a representative of man’s inner life” and identified closely with the soul.
There are some seven hundred references to the heart in the Bible; the first two are found in Genesis 6, where it states that the wicked “desires” or “thoughts” of man’s heart had grieved the heart of God (Gen. 6:5-6). Few of the numerous references to the heart have to do with the physical, blood-pumping organ, or even with emotions (that would actually be kidneys and bowels!). The heart, in Scripture, is the center and core of a human being; it is a complex and mysterious combination of personality, intellect, character, and will. Whereas in modern culture “the heart” is often related to strong feelings (often romantic in nature), the biblical perspective is far more concerned with moral character, especially with holiness and fidelity.
This is significant for appreciating
today’s readings from Deuteronomy and the Gospel of Luke.
Deuteronomy (which means “second law-giving”) contains a detailed
presentation of the Law given to Israelites, culminating in a series
of blessings and curses (ch. 28-30) that God promised would “come
upon” the people depending on how well they observed the Law. Not
surprisingly, the curses far outweigh the blessing, and today’s
reading seems to accept that failure will follow, stating, “when
you return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your
soul.” This is a reiteration of Deuteronomy 6:5, which is part of
the Shema Yisrael (Dt. 6:4-9), the greatest prayer of Judaism.
God’s commands, Moses relates to the people, are not
mysterious or impossible to follow, but are very near, “already in
your mouths and in your hearts.” While the heart is the center of a
man’s being, the mouth is the gateway or window to a man’s heart
and soul. This important concept was used by St. Paul when he told
the Romans of the necessity of confessing that Jesus is Lord and
believing in “your heart that God raised him from the dead” in
order to be saved (Rom. 10:9-10). Far from being an emotional or rash
response, this is public action rooted in profound consideration and
commitment of the will.
The question asked of Jesus by the
scholar of the law was hostile, meant to test him and expose any
weaknesses in his stance regarding salvation. As he often did, Jesus
answered the question with questions of his own, as if to say, “You
are the recognized scholar; you tell me the answer!” The lawyer
quoted directly from the Shema and Leviticus 19:18,
demonstrating that he had intellectually mastered the answer. But had
his heart absorbed the truth and been transformed by what was in his
head? Could he, like the Psalmist, say, “The precepts of the Lord
are right, rejoicing the heart” (Psa. 19:8)? And while the words of
his mouth met with favor, what about the thoughts of his heart (see
Psa. 19:15)?
The scholar sought to justify himself by
bringing up a much-debated question: who really is my neighbor? Some
Jews said it included strangers and sojourners (cf. Lev. 19:33-34);
others insisted that only members of the Jewish community should be
called “neighbors”. Some, such as the priest and the Levite in
the parable of the Good Samaritan, were heartless because they had
long forgotten that the Law was actually about loving God and loving
others.
When religious practice no longer has a transcendent center—that is, a heart seeking after God—it becomes fearful, selfish, and merciless. Soulless works cannot save us; they actually separate us from the blessings of the divine life. Love God with all your heart. Love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will truly live.
(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the July 11, 2010, edition of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)
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