The Doors of Our Hearts

     Entrance ways to businesses and homes are very important.  They serve more than just a function.  They should be welcoming and inviting and easily accessible.  They are literally the door to what you have to offer.  I am often amazed at the beauty and expansiveness of many entrances to newer homes - from the door itself to the lighting to the shrubbery to the welcome mat.   The door to your home speaks of the hospitality that you extend to those who visit.

     Our parish at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the dedication of the church building on March 29th. [More on the parish anniversary in a later post].  In preparation for the event, we are in the process of "sprucing up" the entrance way, especially the doors.  We do this because if people approach this House of God they need to find a beautiful threshold into the warmth of God's love, which hopefully they will find in the worship of this community.  They need to feel welcome into the peace that this sanctuary can provide.  Doors are very important.

     We are often reminded to open the doors of our hearts to Christ.  We are called to welcome Him in, to listen to His Word in Scripture and prayer, to be transformed by His amazing grace.  That door to our heart needs to remind us that we must be open and gracious to the Lord of Life, and that we must extend that blessing to all that we meet.  May our renewed church doors here at SEAS remind us of our renewed Lenten commitment to Christ.

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     This morning's first reading from Jeremiah the prophet has him asking the Lord to save him from the plottings of his enemies.  In fact, the psalm echoed that same desire to be saved.  It got me thinking about the struggle that we often face between the earthly and the divine.   We are human by nature, thus touched by fear and dread of death and suffering.  Naturally we try our best to get out of the worst of our situations.  It is only with the grace of God, when we are touched by the divine, that we have the strength and courage to be strong.

     Even Christ Jesus, who shared both a divine and a human nature dealt with those struggles.  In the garden before His passion, his human nature asked His Father to "let this cup pass me by" ... but His divine nature allowed Him to place His destiny into the hands of the Father.   Have the courage to place yourselves in the will of your Heavenly Father.