What's at Heart?

      My mother has a big heart - literally. She has a larger-than-normal heart due to a congenital condition called cardiomyopathy. It means "enlarged heart muscle." Even if it were not for her heart condition, my mom still has a big heart. She is the most giving person that I know - and I know LOTS of people. I reflect on this, particularly on the day of celebrating mothers (of which my mom says it's Mother's Day every day that you get to be a mom).  I am doing critical theological reflection on what it means to have a heart for Jesus and a heart like Jesus, something that I have learned from my mom over the last 35 years plus.
       Jesus has a big heart, too. Not an enlarged heart muscle caused by a medical condition, but a big heart due to His sacrifical love for us. Jesus is the heart of our faith. He loves unconditionally, goes to the Father on our behalf, and he intercedes for us time and time again. For those of us who have ever peeped into a Bible and read the gospels, then we are least familiar with His New Testament commandment to love one another.

        Love one another. Love one another. You have to have the heart for it. It's not enough to preach it, or pretend it. You have to actually do it. It has to be practiced and it requires active participation on your part. It seems to me that it is near impossible to constantly be at odds with people, always finding something wrong with a situation, person, organization, etc., forcing your opinion upon others as "right" while everyone else is "wrong," yet at the same time heralding these words like a banner of your belief. In fact, it's rather hypocritical. What's at heart here? You have to be authentic. People can spot a fake "big put on" person like they can spot a fake Gucci handbag.
        If your heart has been broken, emotionally beaten or bruised in any kind of way, God can heal it and help you live beyond that bad experience. But you have to be willing. Don't turn your heart into a clenched, tightened muscle because it will only restrict the "love" that is supposed to flow. In the Old Testament, over in the 36th chapter of the Book of Ezekiel, God says this in verse 26: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you, your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
       My mom is about as authentic as they come. She is a no-nonsense kind of person. She is the same today as she was yesterday and you can count on her to be just as loving, caring and kind-hearted tomorrow. She knows first-hand the responsibility that comes with having a big heart - you have more love to extend to others! Today is a good day to ask God to give you a new heart and a new spirit so that you can receive love and give love. After all, it's really what's at heart!