God can heal our hardened hearts

A Reflection for the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Find today’s readings here.

My kids are on a big “Moana” kick right now, especially the first film, though sometimes they will allow “Moana 2” if they are in the mood. They love watching it, they love listening to the soundtrack on every car ride (which will completely ruin my carefully curated Spotify algorithm and the ever-important Spotify Wrapped, but I guess that is part of the sacrifice of parenthood), and they also love playing “Moana” in the backyard. It is close to an obsession. And, as ready as I am for them to move on to the next thing, it is nice that “Moana” has some pretty good messages and themes.

If you haven’t been lucky enough to see the movie (on repeat), Moana’s journey is to return the heart of Te Fiti, a powerful goddess who creates life for the islands. Her heart was stolen by the trickster demigod Maui, and without her heart Te Fiti becomes Te Kā, a giant, angry creature made of fire and lava who destroys everything in her path. Our hero must return the heart so that her island and people can thrive. 

During an epic battle scene with Te Kā and Moana, Moana realizes something important: Te Kā isn’t a monster to be defeated. Te Ka is simply Te Fiti without her heart. She isn’t who she was created to be. She has been wounded, her heart has been stolen from her and she has become consumed by anger and destruction. 

The song Moana sings in that moment is actually quite moving: “I have crossed the horizon to find you, I know your name. They have stolen the heart from inside you, but this does not define you. This is not who you are, you know who you are.” Moana reminds Te Fiti that what has happened to her is not the same thing as who she is. 

Which brings me to today’s first reading: “I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you.” 

Because I think we can become a bit like Te Fiti, too. Not because someone has literally stolen our heart from us, of course, but because life has a way of hardening us. Hurt, disappointment, anger, resentment—these can all build up over time and sometimes, without really noticing, we become less patient, less trusting, less generous, less willing to answer. And eventually we can start to believe that this is simply who we are.

But Ezekiel offers a different possibility. God says, “I will give you a new heart.” God recognizes us, recognizes the experiences and interactions that have hardened our hearts. But God also knows who we are underneath all of that. Our hardened hearts do not have to define us forever, we can return to something closer to who we were created to be, if we allow God to guide us back. 

God is always capable of creating something new in us. A new heart. A new spirit. A way of seeing ourselves and one another that isn’t entirely shaped by what has happened to us, but by the possibility of what we can become. 

Maybe that is what Moana recognizes when she looks at Te Kā and sees Te Fiti. She doesn’t see a monster. She sees someone who has lost her way, and she reminds her, “This is not who you are. You know who you are.” I think that may be a good reminder for all of us. Are we living with the same love with which God created us? 

Maybe my sons aren’t getting any of these theological lessons from “Moana” and are only in it for the catchy songs and Maui’s tricks. But I’ll make sure to send them this reflection in 10 years and see what they think.

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