Harden not your hearts

By The Rt Rev’d Jennifer A. Reddall, sixth bishop of Arizona

Today at Morning Prayer, I prayed Canticle G from Enriching our Worship, the Song of Ezekiel. It includes the verse, “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit put within you. I will take the stone heart from your chest, and give you a heart of flesh.” It’s one of my favorite verses in the Bible. 

I have felt myself, this week, subconsciously hardening my heart—choosing the heart of stone over the heart of flesh. The news is too awful, there are too many places of violence, and too many conflicts that seem intractable.  

It’s easier to have a heart of stone than a heart that will bleed, grieve, and inspire me to action. A heart of stone allows me to be immovable. It is self-protective—and not focused on compassion to others, or asking me how I can fulfill my ministry as a follower of Jesus. 

So I am praying for Jesus to soften my heart. To keep my heart of flesh intact—and reject the heart of stone. 

When my ecumenical colleagues and I discussed themes for our prayer vigils before the election, “Harden not your hearts” was a theme all of us resonated with. It will be the theme for the second vigil, taking place at 6:00pm on Monday, October 14, at Our Savior Lutheran Church at 1200 North Campbell in Tucson. 

The first prayer vigil was packed… we seem to have met a need for people to come and pray with their neighbors. I hope those of you in Southern Arizona who feel that need to join me in prayer for God to soften your heart will join us.