I love you, LORD, my strength,
LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim!
I have been delivered from my enemies.
(Psalm 18)
Lent is a season of reflection, certainly, and more; it is a celebration of our faith with songs, processions, sermons, songs and prayers. (I wish I could include dance but, at this time in our history, we don't do that.)
The psalms -- especially the words of Psalm 18 -- might sound from us often. They spring forth like the ecstatic exclamations of Saint Francis:
You are holy, Lord, the only God, and Your deeds are wonderful. You are strong. You are great. You are the Most High. You are Almighty. You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth. You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good. You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true. You are love. You are wisdom. You are humility. You are endurance. You are rest. You are peace. You are joy and gladness. You are justice and moderation. You are all our riches, and You suffice for us. You are beauty. You are gentleness. You are our protector. You are our guardian and defender. You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope. You are our faith, our great consolation. You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord, God Almighty, Merciful Savior.We need this prayer as we follow the Lord to Calvary. This is not a pilgrimage for the faint of heart. We need large dollops of the Holy Spirit. We need one another's company, a throng of thousands to gather in churches, shrines and holy places.
Going it alone risks the scorn of skeptics who see no glory in the cross, and no privilege in obedience. Social animals that we are, not many can keep the faith when we're awash in the din of TV marketers and the cacophony of radio hucksters. Our interests will be sucked away by March Madness and Spring sales. Many Christians will ponder the whodunit mysteries of mass shootings and missing airplanes, and overlook the Great Mystery of Easter.
Let our hearts settle into peaceful praise as our minds gaze upon the Crucified Lord.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.