6.14.09 "The Eyes of the Heart
WESTMINSTER PULPIT
The Rev. Robert H. Fernández
June 14, 2009 “The Eyes of the Heart?”
1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 20:1-5
2 Corinthians 5:11-17 Mark 4:26-34
I admit it; I was one of the 100 million people in the first nine days who viewed the video clip of Susan Boyle singing in the show Britain’s Got Talent on April 11th. Were you also one? Who knows exactly how many millions more have viewed this remarkable performance! In any case, Susan Boyle is an ordinary 47 year-old Scottish woman, a bit on the plump side, who competed in the show. She had no make-up by Fiona Tanner of London—no gown by Dior or shoes by Gucci—no hair style by Francesco Picardi of London—simple and ordinary. When she first walked on the stage, you could see the skepticism of the judges, their eyes were rolling up in their heads, and the audience moaned. How could such a person ever think to compete in a talent show? She announced her selection of the song “I Dreamed a Dream,” from Les Miserables, which brought additional cynical looks from the judges and groans from the audience. The music began; she slowly drew the microphone to her mouth with great poise and began to sing with deep feeling and confidence. At that moment, something electrifying happened. Her voice was clear and full; the song came from her heart. A resounding cheer began rising like a wave from the audience. The cynicism of the judges transformed into wonderment! It was one of those instances that shatter all preconceived notions of who a person is and what a person has to offer! It was a miracle of human life. Susan Boyle gave us the opportunity to see her with the eyes of the heart.
The scripture readings for today open the way for us to understand the use of the eyes of the heart. We begin with the narrative of the prophet Samuel who was asked by God to seek a new king for Israel from the eight sons of a certain man named Jesse. As each son was presented Samuel said to himself, “Surely this is the one,” especially the ones who were tall and imposing, but God said to him, “I do not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but I look on the heart.” In other words, God uses the eyes of his heart to look upon the heart of a person. This sermon, therefore, could well have been entitled: “Heart to Heart.” The term heart refers to the essence of a person.
Likewise, Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians not to “boast in outward appearances” but to boast about what is “in the heart.” Then Paul breaks forth into one of the most beautiful and well-known passages of the Christian faith, “From now on, therefore,” he said, “we regard no one from a human point of view . . . So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation, everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” It is in looking through the eyes of Jesus Christ that we use the eyes of the heart.
The key phrase is, “in Christ.” So, who is Jesus Christ for us? A historical figure, a great moral teacher, a philosophy, a dogma, a super hero? Most of us who are Christians have at least this in common about Jesus: we admire him. But that is not enough. What Jesus wants from us is not admiration but imitation. It is far easier to admire figures of great morality and courage than to do what they do. Admiration is insufficient. Imitation is more important, although we need to go even beyond that with regard to Jesus. He is more than a model to be imitated. What Jesus Christ wants of us is that we become incorporated into his being so as to enter into an interrelationship of life and celebration with him. It is then that we will see with the eyes of the heart. The incarnation of Jesus was not a thirty-three year event that ended long ago and is over; it is an on-going incarnation happening in and through us as his followers. A prayer attributed to St. Theresa of Avila says:
Christ has no body now but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which
Christ’s compassion must look out on the world.
Yours are the feet with which
He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which
He is to bless us now.
All of this is extremely relevant for us in today’s culture where so much importance is given to outward appearances, especially with the models right out of Hollywood and in fashion magazines—not that the care for physical exterior is totally ruled out—but that an accurate perspective into a person’s humanity becomes clear when we use our inward essence to understand what lies within another person’s inner being. While physical wellbeing is vital to a person, it is the inner self that radiates the true qualities lying within.
With the eyes of the heart we are to see the world and its people. Too often we depend on dogmas, commandments, even admonitions to love and justice to spur us into good works without realizing that all these are to come from within, rather than externals as one puts on an overcoat. Once again, we come face to face with the way of Jesus Christ which goes counter to popular culture—against the grain—with revolutionary ideas.
Just imagine what the world would be like if we used the eyes of the heart—with the eyes of the Christ—to interact with one another as nations and peoples! Perhaps you say, “That’s too idealistic. It will never happen.” If that is the way we think, we are certainly underestimating the power of God. If that is the way we think, then perhaps the Christ event was all for nothing and that is a devastating conclusion!
Using the eyes of the heart means that we look at our nation and the interrelationship with the nations of the world in a deeper way. With the eyes of the heart we can see the potential that exists for reaching world peace. A transformation like this does not come overnight. It happens ever so slowly. This is yet another indictment of today’s culture that demands instant gratification and solutions. Seeing with the eyes of the heart calls for a long loving look at the real—the true. It takes time.
Using the eyes of the heart means that we can see the suffering of the world and reach out with commitment of resources to alleviate the misery. Mother Theresa stated that she saw the face of Christ in every person she cared for—she saw the wounds of Christ in every wound she washed of the emaciated person she tended.
Just imagine what our association with people immediately around us would be like if we used the eyes of the heart to interact with one another on a personal level! Using the eyes of the heart means that we look upon every person
· With respect, because each person is created in the image of God. In actuality we are standing before a masterpiece that should inspires us. In this work of art we see potential and beauty—we see pain and longing.
We must see the other person.
· Acknowledging their integrity even though there may be differences and imperfections of all sorts.
Jesus, the Christ, carried out his three year ministry with close followers who were not always of the same mind with him. They bickered about who was the greatest in the Kingdom, about who would sit at the right and left hand of the throne. They complained that he paid too much attention to children and spoke to strange women. He even suspected that there would be some of them who would desert, deny, doubt, and betray him, but he kept them as his followers. He was not naïve, nor did he overlook their faults. He called forth the best in them.
Something very profound happens in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. One can even call it a spiritual mystery. We break and eat the bread; we pour and drink the wine. The bread and wine remain bread and wine, but in a deeply spiritual way, as the bread and wine actually become a part of our bodies, Christ becomes part of us and we a part of him. Therefore, every time we celebrate this sacrament we are called to become more like Christ so we can see each other with the eyes of the heart.
On the night before his death there sat at the table his followers; within a few hours one would deny him, another would betray him, and nine others would stay away from the fateful crucifixion. Only the beloved John, Mary, his mother, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, and Salome would be at the foot of the cross. But he had supper with all of them. And he said to all of them, “This is my body. This is my blood. Take and eat!” And as we do, we will see with the eyes of the heart.
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