“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”- Jeremiah 31: 33
“Man has places in his heart which do not yet exist, and into them enters suffering in order that they might have existence.”- Leonard Blum
Leighton Ford notes in Chapter 7 of The Attentive Life that early church fathers such as Athanasius taught that it’s very important to pay attention to our tears. Athanasius prized this gift as a visible sign of God’s puncturing of our hearts. The author goes on to cite writer Deborah Smith Douglas, who relates hearing a wise priest reflect on Jeremiah 31: 33, suggesting that our hearts are so hard all God can do is write upon the surface. The priest continued:
“It is only when our hearts break, that they break open; then the word of God can enter deeply, like a seed in a harrowed field.”
Mr. Ford states that when we come through dark passages, in a very strange and mysterious way God’s light shone in and opened up the darkness. When tears come, the author suggests, we should try to learn to pay attention, to pause and ask what God’s greater purpose is for our lives.
Today’s question: How would you respond to the wise priest’s comment? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Paschal death”
