A Veil Over the Heart – Sometimes Opened
One of the more interesting surgical questions I had about heart surgery is “How does a surgeon approach opening the pericardium and closing it after surgery?” The word pericardium literally means “around the heart.” And it is a tough sack-like structure that wraps around about 80% of the heart with an opening at the top for the veins and arteries to exit and enter.
I knew that the pericardium was there, but I didn’t really know what its purpose was. It turns out that it holds the heart in place in the chest, it can protect the heart from infection, it helps the heart maintain a certain volume so it does not become overfilled with blood, and it provides lubrication so that the heart can pump with less friction against other internal organs.
Interestingly, not all cardiac surgeons deal with the pericardium the same way during open-heart surgery. Usually it is left largely intact – as much as possible. But it seems that often surgeons do not stitch it up but rather leave the pericardium with the opening that was made by the incision; they simply place the flap of the pericardium which has been cut during surgery back over the heart after the heart has had its repair made. Apparently, stitching up the pericardium can lead to other postoperative problems.
The analogy for the pericardium being a “tough veil over the heart” seems to explain one of the reasons why some people, especially Jewish people familiar with some of the Mosaic Law, have a tough time hearing the Gospel.
St. Paul writes in II Corinthians 3:15 – “But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted because it is removed in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart.…” What exactly does St. Paul mean? When Moses came down from the mountain after receiving the covenant and being in the presence of God, his face was glowing with the glory of God. But that glow would fade after a while. Moses would put a covering or a veil over his face so that people were not so frightened in the first place, and so that they would not see the fading glory – which Paul associated with the old covenant of the law.
It is fortunate that the analogy of cutting the pericardium fits well with what Paul is saying. In order to do open-heart surgery, a surgeon must cut the pericardium. In order to be saved by grace, people must see how the Law will not save them. It, too, needs to be cut away. The good news is that once it is cut away, faith in Christ gives a new glory to us all. Paul wrote these words after the above verse: “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away… And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory.…” (II Corinthians 3:16, 18a).
Prayer: Lord, remind me daily that my self-righteousness is like filthy rags. Cut a way that veil, and come with the love and forgiveness of Christ to heal my heart. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
