Wouldn’t it be great if there was some person so highly respected nowadays that you could go up to him or her and ask, “What should we do?” That’s what the crowds, the tax collectors, the soldiers were able to do with John the Baptist. They had questions about how they should act, how they should behave and expected that the Baptist would be able to supply the proper answer. What would be some of the things we might ask today? What should we do about ongoing gun violence that plagues our city? What should we do about the divisions that exist in our country and even in the Church? What should we do to help our families grow together, to strengthen marriages, to provide the best environment for the children to grow up in? If there were someone who was able to provide answers to questions like these, I suspect that, like John the Baptist, those answers would involve taking some definite actions. Certainly it is good to pray about the difficult situations in which we find ourselves. But notice that the Baptist doesn’t limit the response simply to praying but wants those prayers to take concrete shape. “Share with the person who has none.” “Do not falsely accuse anyone.” Our behaviors must involve acting in a just and loving way.
However, when you think about the stories in the gospels you don’t find Jesus responding in the same way as John the Baptist did. He doesn’t give the list of actions for us to do as his followers. Instead, he asks us to change our attitudes, our way of thinking about things. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice. Blessed are the peacemakers. The implication seems to be that if we have the right attitude, the right way of thinking, then the right behavior will follow. For example, recall all the times that someone asked Jesus a question and he responded with a story. The parables Jesus told demonstrate divine values which shape our attitudes as Christians. The Good Samaritan: there isn’t anyone out there who doesn’t deserve our care and concern. The Prodigal Son: being willing to forgive those who hurt us is cause for rejoicing. The Ten Talents: use the gifts that you have and God will do the rest. The mustard seed; even if it seems like you have a little, God can make it multiply and grow. The Pharisee and the Publican: you don’t earn your way into God’s graces – God extends mercy to you freely. The Great Banquet: all are invited to the feast. When we think like Jesus, when we have his values and his attitudes, then our behaviors, our actions will follow.
So the Bible answers questions about what to do: hand questions. And it answers questions about what to think: head questions. But what about heart questions? What about questions that have to do with our feelings, our emotions. Would even a John the Baptist be able to answer heart questions? What should I do about this sense of loss and grief? The world has moved on but I haven’t. What should I do with this resentment and bitterness against those who have hurt me? I know I am supposed to forgive but to do so does not seem possible right now. What should I do about the anger that I feel at the bad choices people in my family are making? I know that I can’t control them but it drives me crazy. These questions are just as important as those that have to do with our behavior or our attitudes. In fact, since they are emotional questions they reside deep inside of us, in our guts. They demand a response.
When we scour the scripture for some kind of answer what God wants us to do with our feelings we come across words like one one’s in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice.” To which we (or at least I) am tempted to say, “Are you kidding me?” How can you expect me to rejoice then my heart is breaking! How can you expect me to rejoice when I am afraid of what the doctor is going to say! How can you expect me to rejoice when I feel alone and wonder why there is no one special in my life! But there it is, right in the Bible. Rejoice always. And he says it twice just to make sure that we get it. To make it even more challenging St. Paul adds to that “Have not anxiety at all.” Wow. Quite a scriptural admonition. Have no anxiety even living in a world with nuclear weapons, climate change, ebola virus, 529 murders in Chicago so far this year, school shootings, an opioid epidemic, inadequate school funding, toxic politics, inadequate health insurance and plain old death. Have no anxiety! Rejoice always! What are you telling us St. Paul?
But looking more closely at what the Apostle says we read: “The Lord is near. In everything, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses understanding will guard your hearts and minds.” Make your requests know and then you have peace in your heart, says St. Paul. Here then is how the Bible responds to our heart questions – when we put everything in God’s hands we can rejoice. You see, Church, faith is not primarily about the statements in our Creed. Faith primarily is trusting that the God who made the moon and the stars, who guides the currents of history and reigns in triumphant splendor – that God is near to us and cares about you and cares about me. The divine plan is always unfolding in ways beyond our ken to ensure our eternal happiness. When we make our requests known to God we are throwing ourselves into the arms of the one who loves us just as we are. There is cause for rejoicing here for God has promised us that all will be well, all manner of things will be well. So let us bring our bruised and battered heart to God today. We will find joy there. We will find forgiveness there. We will find understanding there. We will find love.