Less head, more heart
Sometimes we are moved to the core, but we don't always understand why right away. When we are moved, we lose control of our emotions. These moments are often associated with shame: mourners apologise for their tears at the grave, wedding couples fight against their emotions breaking out in front of the altar. But we lose so much if we refuse to be moved, if we suppress our emotions instead of accepting them and even seeking them out. Theologian Felix Leibrock is certain: our spirituality, too, needs greater openness to emotional closeness.
Jesus was a man who touched. He embraced many people he met, shook hands with lepers and blessed those who lived on the fringes of society. His words touched people deeply in their hearts. And because he knew about the healing power of touch, he also allowed himself to be touched.
‘Sometimes it seems as if a crack in the gate of paradise is briefly open. We listen, sniff, feel our way in... Did the divine itself touch us there for a moment?’ Felix Leibrock
