As alluded to in an earlier post, the main purpose of this blog is to provide, catalog, and analyze resources intended to help people develop mellowness of heart. Rolheiser describes it in his book, The Holy Longing, and provides an anecdote that illustrates the dangers of lacking one.
Indeed, much of spiritual and religious writing, particularly Christian writing, focuses on what virtues or aspirations are not, rather than a positive view of what constitutes them (love is not giving in all the time, peace is not the absence of conflict, joy is not simply being happy all the time). So, here we will have a go at what a mellow Christians heart is, then let us consider what it is not.
We all know a person with a mellow heart- she has a healthy indifference to outcomes, and a liberation from things out of her control. The mellow hearted person is not always gleeful, but does not wallow in boogeymen of negativity or fear.
The Scriptural contrast of course, is hardness of heart. Introduced in the Old Testament in Psalm 95, and echoed in Hebrews, the hard heart hears the voice of God, but does not open up to this voice. The hard (or bitter) heart is cloaked in disbelief that God will take care of the “problems” of this life. Further, it is uninterested in exploring other perspectives or options, or opening up the mind to broader, more loving possibilities. The bitter heart is closed, is confined, and is not eager to open.
Consequently, this blog is intended to address this mellowness matter. His other three foundations are personal and private morality, community, and a labor for social justice. Ample resources exist to help Catholics and Christians explore these aspects of living their faith. While relatively few Christians I have met believe their personalities or mindsets have malleability, meditative practice can lead one to a more mellow outlook in heart and mind. And, if we trust Rolheiser’s analysis, this is paramount to spreading the good news here on earth.
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