Richard J. Severson
Jesuit theologian Karl Rahner argued that only dogmas grounded in the mystery of God’s presence merit legitimacy. He called this method of testing the worthiness of Church teachings reductio ad mysterium. I wonder if there is a broader application of Rahner’s reductio argument. What would be an equivalent kind of experience to the mystery of God’s presence that could satisfy the average person on the street who might consider himself/herself a spiritual person, but not a practitioner of Christianity or any other religion?
My guess is that the feeling of a broken heart is a bedrock spiritual experience that every person can understand. I think it merits being called a “spiritual” experience (not strictly a psychological or biological experience) because a broken heart challenges us to rise above our circumstances, to think in a way that is symbolic, that makes peace with the paradox of life and loss. By embracing the broken heart, we rise above our pain and the inexplicable/belittling circumstances that we encounter in life.
To be broken hearted is a spiritual experience, a doorway to love, the metaphor par excellence of spiritual life. It is the lifeblood of the soul to fortify itself with the invention of symbols and metaphors that grant us safe passage through difficult times.
Richard J. Severson 
I am writing this using my phone watching one of my favorite movies – “Lord of the Rings”, “Fellowship of the Ring”. The reasoning of multitasking will become evident as I write. Please excuse me for my lack of eloquence, I will be direct in my response as this topic is very interesting to me.
Let’s take a look at human nature, people are generally complacent and they are not willing to get involved unless something happens that they feel is important enough. Rarely there is a consensus on what is important. Actually, there is nothing in the world where everyone agrees. Yes, even life and death. There are some general principles that yield a typical response. When a person is rich (I mean approaching 1B) there life becomes consumed with controlling each situation and others. Their moral compass is not based on any religion, morality, law, opinions or other factors, it is based on what they “think is best”. Delving into what they think is best has a goal, and the goal is nearly always to consolidate power or enrichment of themselves.
As I watch the “fellowship of the ring” I can see in the characters what Tolkien was portraying, man who is easily corrupted, a man that has to stay away from temptation or he will fall into ruin.
The desire for the ring is a good example of what happens when power and riches blacken the heart. The heart gets so black that the ability to feel a broken heart is only apparent when they cannot fill the unfillable need for more to get the little “high” from getting more and more which is never enough. It is clear in the Bible, 3 different books when Jesus says “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
When life is good people generally do not seek spiritual understanding or compassion and many times even love since it is easy to be consumed with self.
Yet when a situation occurs that causes a broken heart, something out of a person’s control they search for understanding with a hope that their pain can be heard and even with some a hope that their painful situation can be solved. During the “Oklahoma Bombing” I was working at Dow. The bomb went off and everyone watched in disbelief. I was asked to lead the building in prayer outside, a group of many different beliefs, agnostics and people confused. Yet, everyone was together searching for meaning and contemplating their spiritual position. This was a time of awakening but it soon faded. The same happened on 9/11 but this time the thoughts turned more to anger and revenge as the enemy was more understood. Evil was clear, it had a name.
Back to your discussion on “… broken heart challenges us to rise above our circumstances “. In the “Fellowship of the Ring” the hobbit saw the future of his village overtaken by Orcs enslaving everyone. Frodo rose above his ability. This has been studied and I myself have taught leadership and the change of a person into a leader that does not have the traits can be transformed by the circumstances, this is known as “situational leadership”, The situation however has to be such that a stronger person does not stand up and take control.
A broken heart or circumstance can either strengthen or cripple a person.
So, pulling together the rich man I discussed earlier the ego of the person will not give up control or admit or “feel” the healthy feeling of a broken heart, but they will become angry and can even become dangerous to others and abandon friendships.
The dragon in the later “Battle of the 5 armies” loved only gold and the Arkan-stone (not sure of the spelling). Thoran also fell to the greed of gold and the Arkan-stone. No love, no loyalty, no compassion. All became on controlling gold.
The government of the USA is already there, not helping Ukraine, loyalty over laws, authoritarian partners over rule based, moral alias. The greed of the rich has no moral compass and maybe it has always been this way but now it is an example for everyone and for children. Lying, cheating or any way to win is ok as long as you win and rewrite truth.
Sorry for the rambling
Mike
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What a discourse, Mike, and a masterful reflection on the fragility/limits of goodness. It’s as if we were back at Dale & Vi’s eating pizza and drinking coca cola with Ness and the guys…. Thank you for your thoughts, so wise, like Tolkien himself, whom I too love. Sweet Jesus!
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