time and eventually end, illnesses strike, debt
overwhelms, death separates us from loved ones,
and world situations alarm us. When hearts
harden, disenchantment and disillusionment set
in. Disillusionment creates negativity, pessimism,
and fear, and as people become spiritually closed
off, they can become selfish and insensitive and
lack empathy and compassion.
The evidence of hardened hearts includes walls
built to keep out perceived enemies, human
rights violations, eradication of native languages,
intolerance of diverse faiths and spiritual
traditions, family disputes, crippling marriages,
sexual immorality, massive migrations of
refugees, violence, and war.
The spiritual question is, “How can we reenchant
or soften our hearts so we can live with greater
integrity, love, acceptance, and peace?”
break open in order for us to cast out fear in order
to respond to life and to our neighbour in positive,
kinder ways.
In an article entitled “Perfecting Love,” James
Burklo writes, “Border walls will not cast out
fear. A nuclear arms race will not cast out fear.
Radically restricting immigration will not cast
out fear. Keeping a gun will not cast out fear.”
We have learned that segregation enhanced fear,
slavery stimulated fear, and that death camps were
responses of racism and fear. What we know is that
hatred and racism and blaming and shaming do not
cast out fear.
Burklo suggests that what casts out fear [or
softens a heart] is “knowing our neighbours and
showing them kindness. Welcoming strangers.
Directing open, warm curiosity toward other people
and toward all beings and things, even those that
How can we reenchant or soften our hearts so we can live with
greater integrity, love, acceptance and peace?
Describing the metaphor of a soft or open heart,
theologian Marcus Borg writes, “If what is within
is to live, the egg must hatch, the shell must break,
and the heart must open. If it does not, the life
within dies and becomes foul-smelling and sulfuric.”
We know well the odour of a bad egg, and human
behaviour can be just as repulsive. The heart must
at first glance may seem disturbing. Practicing love
attracts us to kindness and distracts us from fear.”
Jesuit priest Anthony de Mello suggests that
casting out fear requires that we “ruthlessly flash
the light of awareness on our motives, beliefs,
perceptions, emotions, needs, and our tendency to
control and manipulate.” Doing so means taking
full responsibility for our attitudes, actions and
ways of responding to the injustices and difficult
realities of life.
Love casts out fear; and when fear dissolves,
the heart softens and attitudes change resulting
in actions no longer motivated by hate, fear and
prejudice. With and through love, soft hearts honor
and respect the accomplishments, creativity, rights,
and personhood of all people; and as we become
kinder toward ourselves and one another, we
become more accepting and loving.
I encourage you to be fierce with your love,
and I invite you to cast out fear to live more
compassionately as together we share this
enchanted life, striving always to turn hard hearts
into soft hearts. ●
news&views SUMMER 2019 | 17