Psalm Meditation 641
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 30, 2012
Psalm 142
1 With my voice I cry to the Lord; with my voice I make supplication to the Lord.
2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit is faint, you know my way. In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look on my right hand and see— there is no one who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me.
5 I cry to you, O Lord; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
6 Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low. Save me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
7 Bring me out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me. (NRSV)
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could simply walk away from our troubles, come back later and find that everything is resolved to our liking? Sadly, it doesn’t happen that way. There are places, people and processes that allow us the opportunity to step back and see our lives from a different perspective, if only for a moment. This refuge does not take our problems away. It offers us a bit of shelter from the storms of life as they rage around us.
The psalmist looks around and sees no one who cares. This doesn’t mean that there is no one; it means there is a momentary inability to see the folks who do care. This doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I wish I were naïve enough to believe that everyone has a way to feel safe and sheltered in time of trial, however I know that is not the case. For those who are reading this, it is my hope that we are aware that God and the people of God are available as a source of refuge for us.
God is with us in all times and places. We may not feel that presence, we may not be comforted by that presence, however God is with us as a source of refuge and strength in times of trial and trouble. As we are able to feel that presence as a source of help and hope we are able to join the psalmist in giving thanks to God for all the ways we are touched by God and the people of God.
September 24, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
Psalm Meditation 640
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 23, 2012
Psalm 112
1 Praise the LORD! Happy are those who fear the LORD, who greatly delight in his commandments.
2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.
7 They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the LORD.
8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.
(NRSV)
Our family has been dealing with the tragic death of our four month old granddaughter this week so it may seem surprising that the verse that jumps out of this psalm is, “Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.” We have discovered the rich blessing of friends and family, and how the two categories blend together and overlap in so many ways. Folks have stood with us and held us up in surprising and humbling ways. The offers of help and support from all sides has been an overwhelming display of the wealth and riches we possess in family and friends.
For years I have known that the richest of blessings available to anyone is the wealth that comes to us as we build relationships with each other and with God. This past week I have experienced this richest of blessings in countless ways. “If there is anything I can do, let me know” has been said and experienced in so many ways and from such a wide variety of people. Prayers beyond count have been raised in support of our family by those we know and by those we will never know. Many wish they could actually do something, not being content to simply pray and perhaps not being aware of what a difficult and helpful task it is to lift up another to God in prayer. It seems so simple and is such a deep and profound help and support to us all. I am guessing it seems such a light burden because so many are joined in task of holding us up to God. The web of relationships formed as our families have drawn together is an astounding testament to the wealth and riches we hold in the relationships of which we are a part.
Thank you for the giving and receiving of the richness and wealth of the relationships of which you are a part in this part of our lives, as well as in the rest of the triumphs and tragedies of our lives and your own. One of the letters of condolence reminded us that out of the compassion and support we have received will also flow a depth of compassion toward others at some future time in our lives.
September 17, 2012
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 23, 2012
Psalm 112
1 Praise the LORD! Happy are those who fear the LORD, who greatly delight in his commandments.
2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.
7 They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the LORD.
8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.
(NRSV)
Our family has been dealing with the tragic death of our four month old granddaughter this week so it may seem surprising that the verse that jumps out of this psalm is, “Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.” We have discovered the rich blessing of friends and family, and how the two categories blend together and overlap in so many ways. Folks have stood with us and held us up in surprising and humbling ways. The offers of help and support from all sides has been an overwhelming display of the wealth and riches we possess in family and friends.
For years I have known that the richest of blessings available to anyone is the wealth that comes to us as we build relationships with each other and with God. This past week I have experienced this richest of blessings in countless ways. “If there is anything I can do, let me know” has been said and experienced in so many ways and from such a wide variety of people. Prayers beyond count have been raised in support of our family by those we know and by those we will never know. Many wish they could actually do something, not being content to simply pray and perhaps not being aware of what a difficult and helpful task it is to lift up another to God in prayer. It seems so simple and is such a deep and profound help and support to us all. I am guessing it seems such a light burden because so many are joined in task of holding us up to God. The web of relationships formed as our families have drawn together is an astounding testament to the wealth and riches we hold in the relationships of which we are a part.
Thank you for the giving and receiving of the richness and wealth of the relationships of which you are a part in this part of our lives, as well as in the rest of the triumphs and tragedies of our lives and your own. One of the letters of condolence reminded us that out of the compassion and support we have received will also flow a depth of compassion toward others at some future time in our lives.
September 17, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Psalm Meditation 639
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 16, 2012
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 "How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? (Selah)
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, "You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince."
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
(NRSV)
When things go badly for someone else, we know that they did something to deserve it. The homeless, the unemployed, the chronic poor all did something to get themselves in this position. This thought process means we don’t really have to do anything for these people because they are already receiving justice, reaping the consequences of their actions and being visited by the sins of the previous generations who taught them all the bad habits.
When things go badly for us, we are not as quick to claim that we had something to do with our own predicament. When we are the ones effected, we know there must be something wrong with the system, because we did not do anything to deserve this type of treatment from the world. By the time we are in a position of weakness, that leaves us feeling helpless, hopeless and worthless, we are no longer in a position to change things in the system. We are left to languish in our situation, which is still no fault of our own.
The psalmist reminds us, that the best time to work toward justice for the poor and disenfranchised is while we have to power to act. Rather than allowing ourselves the luxury of blaming the weak and the orphan for their status, we do well to work toward a culture in which the weak and the orphan are treated with justice and fairness, even when it means we have to make a sacrifice or two in order to achieve that justice.
As children of God we do well to be the champions for those who have no power and influence in the ways of the world. God does have a heart for those who cannot defend themselves from the wiles and whims of those who use their power for personal gain. God does have a heart for those who work for justice and equity. God does have a heart for those who strive for relationships over stuff.
September 10, 2012
Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 16, 2012
Psalm 82
1 God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 "How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? (Selah)
3 Give justice to the weak and the orphan; maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk around in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I say, "You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince."
8 Rise up, O God, judge the earth; for all the nations belong to you!
(NRSV)
When things go badly for someone else, we know that they did something to deserve it. The homeless, the unemployed, the chronic poor all did something to get themselves in this position. This thought process means we don’t really have to do anything for these people because they are already receiving justice, reaping the consequences of their actions and being visited by the sins of the previous generations who taught them all the bad habits.
When things go badly for us, we are not as quick to claim that we had something to do with our own predicament. When we are the ones effected, we know there must be something wrong with the system, because we did not do anything to deserve this type of treatment from the world. By the time we are in a position of weakness, that leaves us feeling helpless, hopeless and worthless, we are no longer in a position to change things in the system. We are left to languish in our situation, which is still no fault of our own.
The psalmist reminds us, that the best time to work toward justice for the poor and disenfranchised is while we have to power to act. Rather than allowing ourselves the luxury of blaming the weak and the orphan for their status, we do well to work toward a culture in which the weak and the orphan are treated with justice and fairness, even when it means we have to make a sacrifice or two in order to achieve that justice.
As children of God we do well to be the champions for those who have no power and influence in the ways of the world. God does have a heart for those who cannot defend themselves from the wiles and whims of those who use their power for personal gain. God does have a heart for those who work for justice and equity. God does have a heart for those who strive for relationships over stuff.
September 10, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Psalm Meditation 638
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 9, 2012
Psalm 52
1 Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long
2 you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. (Selah)
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
6 The righteous will see, and fear, and will laugh at the evildoer, saying,
7 "See the one who would not take refuge in God, but trusted in abundant riches, and sought refuge in wealth!"
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.
(NRSV)
I have heard folks say, and have said it myself, “If you want to know what your priorities are, see where you spend most of your money.” Whether we like it or not, we tend to put our money toward what we think is important in our lives. Then I see verse 7 of this psalm, and realize that judging our priorities by the money we invest is placing money as a priority over God. When we can discover our priorities by how we spend our money, we have put wealth and riches in the center of our lives.
That doesn’t mean we get rid of our money and other wealth assets. It does mean we have to make a way in our lives to put God at the center of our lives. We have to find a way to determine priorities and worth that are not centered in abundant riches and wealth. For the folks of the psalmist’s day, the belief was that there was a set amount of wealth available, so the only way anyone could get rich was by taking wealth from others. While we have expanded our concept of the limits of wealth, there is a point at which we question whether a person is worth what they receive and how much help those riches could offer if given to other causes.
In all of this, it still comes down to money. How do we determine a person’s worth in the context of God and our relationship with God? It is a problem in a society that likes to know where we rate in relation to those around us. In the eyes of God we are each seen as having infinite worth. In the eyes of God there is no ranking system of faithfulness, righteousness or other categories of worth. In the eyes of God we are each unique and incomparable.
To be in the world we will likely always have a rating and ranking system in which we will be placed by ourselves and others. To be citizen’s of heaven we recognize that we are each of infinite worth and that God loves each of us as if we were the only one. In our relations with each other, as children of God we no longer use the rating systems of the world as we see each other through the eyes of God.
September 3, 2012
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 9, 2012
Psalm 52
1 Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long
2 you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery.
3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. (Selah)
4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue.
5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
6 The righteous will see, and fear, and will laugh at the evildoer, saying,
7 "See the one who would not take refuge in God, but trusted in abundant riches, and sought refuge in wealth!"
8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.
(NRSV)
I have heard folks say, and have said it myself, “If you want to know what your priorities are, see where you spend most of your money.” Whether we like it or not, we tend to put our money toward what we think is important in our lives. Then I see verse 7 of this psalm, and realize that judging our priorities by the money we invest is placing money as a priority over God. When we can discover our priorities by how we spend our money, we have put wealth and riches in the center of our lives.
That doesn’t mean we get rid of our money and other wealth assets. It does mean we have to make a way in our lives to put God at the center of our lives. We have to find a way to determine priorities and worth that are not centered in abundant riches and wealth. For the folks of the psalmist’s day, the belief was that there was a set amount of wealth available, so the only way anyone could get rich was by taking wealth from others. While we have expanded our concept of the limits of wealth, there is a point at which we question whether a person is worth what they receive and how much help those riches could offer if given to other causes.
In all of this, it still comes down to money. How do we determine a person’s worth in the context of God and our relationship with God? It is a problem in a society that likes to know where we rate in relation to those around us. In the eyes of God we are each seen as having infinite worth. In the eyes of God there is no ranking system of faithfulness, righteousness or other categories of worth. In the eyes of God we are each unique and incomparable.
To be in the world we will likely always have a rating and ranking system in which we will be placed by ourselves and others. To be citizen’s of heaven we recognize that we are each of infinite worth and that God loves each of us as if we were the only one. In our relations with each other, as children of God we no longer use the rating systems of the world as we see each other through the eyes of God.
September 3, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Psalm Meditation 637
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 2, 2012
Psalm 22:1,16-31
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
(NRSV)
Most of us have experienced abandonment in some form. We have been left alone too long by those we love or we have been left out of a conversation or activity even as the conversation or activity goes on around us. Whether it has been intentional or accidental, the feeling of abandonment is just as devastating. Some of us have felt abandoned by God. When that feeling comes to someone else, it is easy to assume that they have moved away from God. When it happens to me, it is not that easy. I already feel abandoned so the added burden of it being my fault can make it that much worse. In the midst of that feeling of abandonment it is more important to find out how to bring it to an end than to find out who is at fault.
In our human interactions, we may decide that it is time to move on to a different set of relationships when we feel abandoned while we are in the presence of others. We may decide there is something we can do to become more active in the life of the group. Or we may decide that we are content on the edges of this particular group. Our decision spurs us to a new set of actions in and around the life of this particular group. Whether we are successful in our strategy or not, we have taken the initiative in this interaction.
In our relationship with God we make similar decisions. We may decide that it is time to move on, that God is simply a human construct we no longer need in our lives. We may decide that we are the ones who walked away and take steps to get back into the presence of God. We may decide that we are content to be on the edge of a relationship with God. The psalmist chooses to know that God is present and that the sense of abandonment is temporary. It continues to be a real sense of abandonment even as the psalmist acknowledges the presence of God in some, currently, unknown , and real, way.
August 27, 2012
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 2, 2012
Psalm 22:1,16-31
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
16 For dogs are all around me; a company of evildoers encircles me. My hands and feet have shriveled;
17 I can count all my bones. They stare and gloat over me;
18 they divide my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.
19 But you, O LORD, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!
20 Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!
21 Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.
22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
24 For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.
(NRSV)
Most of us have experienced abandonment in some form. We have been left alone too long by those we love or we have been left out of a conversation or activity even as the conversation or activity goes on around us. Whether it has been intentional or accidental, the feeling of abandonment is just as devastating. Some of us have felt abandoned by God. When that feeling comes to someone else, it is easy to assume that they have moved away from God. When it happens to me, it is not that easy. I already feel abandoned so the added burden of it being my fault can make it that much worse. In the midst of that feeling of abandonment it is more important to find out how to bring it to an end than to find out who is at fault.
In our human interactions, we may decide that it is time to move on to a different set of relationships when we feel abandoned while we are in the presence of others. We may decide there is something we can do to become more active in the life of the group. Or we may decide that we are content on the edges of this particular group. Our decision spurs us to a new set of actions in and around the life of this particular group. Whether we are successful in our strategy or not, we have taken the initiative in this interaction.
In our relationship with God we make similar decisions. We may decide that it is time to move on, that God is simply a human construct we no longer need in our lives. We may decide that we are the ones who walked away and take steps to get back into the presence of God. We may decide that we are content to be on the edge of a relationship with God. The psalmist chooses to know that God is present and that the sense of abandonment is temporary. It continues to be a real sense of abandonment even as the psalmist acknowledges the presence of God in some, currently, unknown , and real, way.
August 27, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
Psalm Meditation 636
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 26, 2012
Psalm 141
1 I call upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me. Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are turned toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.
(NRSV)
We find what we expect to find. When we expect to find good in people it jumps out at us in a variety of ways. When we expect to discover that we are surrounded are by bad people we will experience all sorts of evil from those around us. It might even be that two different people will experience the same person in different ways. The one looking for evil will find all the faults and flaws in a person. The one looking for good will find the redeeming qualities in that same person. The psalmist asks God for help in finding people with whom to spend time.
The psalmist does not want to learn evil attitudes, or wicked deeds from the kind of people who have those attitudes and do those deeds. It can be an interesting crowd. I don’t believe that any sane person sees their own deeds as evil. They/we find ways to justify thoughts and actions until they become normal actions and reactions. By banding together with like minded folk there is a layer of insulation between this type of normal and the way society defines normal.
The psalmist asks God for help in choosing folks whose lives are tuned to the ways of God. There is a longing to be taught how to live in the presence of God even though it is a difficult process. As in any discipline, the hard work pays off when one is called upon to live out one’s training in high stress circumstances. To keep our focus on God points us in a direction that leads to a life of fulfillment beyond that of self-centered pursuits. The presence of God in our lives gives us a place of refuge. Choosing to keep company with those who keep company with God gives us defenses against the temptations with which we are surrounded on a regular basis.
August 20, 2012
Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 26, 2012
Psalm 141
1 I call upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me. Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.
6 When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.
7 Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are turned toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.
9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.
(NRSV)
We find what we expect to find. When we expect to find good in people it jumps out at us in a variety of ways. When we expect to discover that we are surrounded are by bad people we will experience all sorts of evil from those around us. It might even be that two different people will experience the same person in different ways. The one looking for evil will find all the faults and flaws in a person. The one looking for good will find the redeeming qualities in that same person. The psalmist asks God for help in finding people with whom to spend time.
The psalmist does not want to learn evil attitudes, or wicked deeds from the kind of people who have those attitudes and do those deeds. It can be an interesting crowd. I don’t believe that any sane person sees their own deeds as evil. They/we find ways to justify thoughts and actions until they become normal actions and reactions. By banding together with like minded folk there is a layer of insulation between this type of normal and the way society defines normal.
The psalmist asks God for help in choosing folks whose lives are tuned to the ways of God. There is a longing to be taught how to live in the presence of God even though it is a difficult process. As in any discipline, the hard work pays off when one is called upon to live out one’s training in high stress circumstances. To keep our focus on God points us in a direction that leads to a life of fulfillment beyond that of self-centered pursuits. The presence of God in our lives gives us a place of refuge. Choosing to keep company with those who keep company with God gives us defenses against the temptations with which we are surrounded on a regular basis.
August 20, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Psalm Meditation 635
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 19, 2012
Psalm 111
1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
(NRSV)
We tend to find the things we seek. When we are looking for things that have or will go wrong, we will find them in bucketsful. When we are looking for things to go well, we will concentrate on the good things. When we are looking for reasons to blame God and others for the ill twists and turns of our lives, we discover ample cause to give God and others blame. When we are looking for reasons to give God thanks we can find all sorts of reasons. I imagine that there are as many reasons to complain as there are to praise, depending on the focus we bring to any given situation.
I once read that Woody Hayes, long time Ohio State football coach, would walk out for the first practice and say to the players, “First string over here; second string over there.” With notable exceptions on both sides, he discovered that folks separated themselves pretty accurately. He noted that we live into our expectations of ourselves. The psalmist invites us to see ourselves as blessed by God. God is gracious, merciful, provident, mindful, steadfast, faithful and just. The list goes on in the psalm and in our awareness. We see God reflected in our own expectations.
My hope is that even the most negative and cynical among us can teach ourselves to live into the invitation to praise offered by the psalmist. As we look for reasons to praise God and lift up those praises we will find that we are able to see even more reasons to praise. Like walking from the darkness into the light, we discover that our vision improves with time, practice and patience. We go from squinting in pain to an ever deeper appreciation of all that is now illuminated. We tend to find the things we seek. My hope for each of us is that we will seek the things of God.
August 13, 2012
Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time
August 19, 2012
Psalm 111
1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.
(NRSV)
We tend to find the things we seek. When we are looking for things that have or will go wrong, we will find them in bucketsful. When we are looking for things to go well, we will concentrate on the good things. When we are looking for reasons to blame God and others for the ill twists and turns of our lives, we discover ample cause to give God and others blame. When we are looking for reasons to give God thanks we can find all sorts of reasons. I imagine that there are as many reasons to complain as there are to praise, depending on the focus we bring to any given situation.
I once read that Woody Hayes, long time Ohio State football coach, would walk out for the first practice and say to the players, “First string over here; second string over there.” With notable exceptions on both sides, he discovered that folks separated themselves pretty accurately. He noted that we live into our expectations of ourselves. The psalmist invites us to see ourselves as blessed by God. God is gracious, merciful, provident, mindful, steadfast, faithful and just. The list goes on in the psalm and in our awareness. We see God reflected in our own expectations.
My hope is that even the most negative and cynical among us can teach ourselves to live into the invitation to praise offered by the psalmist. As we look for reasons to praise God and lift up those praises we will find that we are able to see even more reasons to praise. Like walking from the darkness into the light, we discover that our vision improves with time, practice and patience. We go from squinting in pain to an ever deeper appreciation of all that is now illuminated. We tend to find the things we seek. My hope for each of us is that we will seek the things of God.
August 13, 2012
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