Openhearted and Openhanded

Openhearted and Openhanded

Readings: IS 42:1-7; JN 12:1-11

In our first reading, we hear the words, “here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased.” These words sound a lot like the words Jesus hears when he emerges from his own baptism in the Jordan.

And the gospel offers us a famous story where Judas seems upset that Jesus is letting a woman anoint him with expensive oil that could have been used for other purposes (like feeding the poor). Just pause and take that in for a moment – Jesus is letting himself receive kindness and tenderness.

And then Jesus utters the often misused line, “the poor you will always have with you,” in response to Judas.  It’s misused, however, because that line is likely quoting a verse from Deuteronomy but it only quotes half the verse.  The full verse reads: “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land (Deut 15:11).”  This changes everything.

Three things I take away from today’s readings…all of which I struggle with on a daily basis.

First, we all need to feel our belovedness.  God loves us more deeply than we can imagine, and part of our Lenten journey is meant to help us connect with that.  Henri Nouwen reflects on his own journey with letting this in when he says, ‘I kept running around it in large or small circles, always looking for someone or something able to convince me of my Belovedness. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the “Beloved”. Being the Beloved expresses the core truth of our existence.”

I know that I carry a lot of self-judgment and self-rejection (some have called it the harsh inner critic) which tells me that I am never ___ enough (fill it in with whatever).  And while I believe in striving to do better, learning to rest in the ‘enoughness’ of who we are is crucial.

So just take a minute to rest in your belovedness.

Second, Jesus models receiving.  I am trying to get better at receiving, but it is hard!  I was raised to be self-sufficient, independent, autonomous, other-centered and giving.  And while I value all these qualities to some degree, they closed me off to a lot of my own needs.  While tending to the world is part of the spiritual journey, letting others tend to us (and even asking others to tend to us) is just as much part of the journey.  Being able to receive what others want to give is so important. There is much more that I could (and will probably) say on this in the future.

Third, the quote from Deuteronomy reminds us to live “openhandedly.”  What a beautiful phrase, isn’t it?  I am convinced that if we do parts one and two above, this one flows from it.  When we feel our own goodness and gratefully receive what God and others want to do for us, we cannot help but turn outward to the world.

Similar to the idea of living “openheartedly,” this seems to be the behavioral component.  This could mean generosity.  But it could mean helping someone up.  It could mean connecting with people we don’t know or offering love in concrete forms.  But when our hands are free and not clinging to something else, we ourselves are free to embrace the world.  So I’d invite us to think about it as a guiding principle, “What is the openhanded thing to do right now?”

All of these come together for me at communion time. I go before the altar with my hands wide open – worthy to receive what God desires to give me. I am then asked to take that gift into the world wherever I go. With arms wide open.

As we enter into Holy Week, just take a few minutes today with God and, perhaps, say this simple prayer distilled from today’s reflection:

May I feel my belovedness

And my enoughness, Oh God.

May I gratefully receive

What You and others want to share with me

And may I live

Openhandedly

Giving back to the world

What has been given to me

16 Comments

    Kathy Kearney

    Thank you, Mike…I am “open handedly” wishing you a happy birthday today!

    Carol Lee

    Happy birthday Mike,you are gift to many.Your morning posts have changed Lent for me…thank you!!

      Mike Boucher Author

      Thank you, Carol. It’s such a gift to be in virtual community with so many during Lent.

    Anne Fields

    mike, have a Happy Birthday and thank you for the grand Lenten Reflections and for introducing me to
    Gayle Boss. Am enjoying her Lenten reflections also,

    Anne Fields

    Barb Simmons

    I have loved every Lenten reflections provided by you, Mike, and the other contributors. Today’s, however, resonated most strongly with me. It warmed my heart to think of resting in my belovedness. We are told many times that we are all God’s beloved children but we don’t always feel it. Too many extraneous thoughts and actions interfere with what we should be focusing on… our goodness and how much God loves us. And yes, if we believe and follow points one and two, openhandedness will follow.

    Claire Benesch

    Thank you, Mike, for a most practical and needed reflection that speaks directly to me. Thank you for all your Lenten reflections which has helped me to hopefully grow during this Lent. Happy birthday to one of God’s most beloved!

      Mike Boucher Author

      so glad to have you along, Claire! Here’s hoping we ALL have grown somehow.

    Francene C McCarthy

    Happy Birthday Mike. I hope the day brought you all the blessings you deserve and you were able to receive them! Thank you for reminding us that we are “beloved” , such an intimate word for our relationship with God. Thank you for your openhandedness with your wisdom during lent . Thank you for your inspired prayer today. You are such a gift that I willingly receive!

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