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There was a time when I struggled praying with the Psalms. While I had a few favourites and loved it when these popped up in the daily Prayer of the Church, there were others which seemed obscure and outdated, perhaps more suited to the troops in battle than a priest in pastoral ministry.
Some days “entering God’s dwelling with gladness” didn’t express my wrestling with God. Other days my peace and joy made it difficult to pray “out of the depths I cry to you O God”.
Then someone reminded me that when we pray the psalms as the central part of the Breviary, we are not expressing ourselves but praying on behalf of those who that day are rejoicing or those who are suffering. Praying the Psalms reminds me that I am a part of something much greater. I am never alone. And while I am praying on behalf of others, there are even more people praying for me, especially when I am in the pits.
I like that about Christian faith. We are in it together and the company is great.
In the scriptures (especially of the Mass) the Psalms are often overlooked, but sometimes they are all I remember later in the day and today’s Psalm is what I most need to remember – the one thing I most need to remember:
Today is a great example: There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long, to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life.
One thing.
This One thing is enough for me today, and always.
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!
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Take an initiative and send me a date time and place for a FFF cafe-catchups john@fff.org.nz. I’ll advertise these on each morning’s post throughout Advent.
Wednesday 11 December 10.30am with Christina
Zenders Cafe and Venue
44 Hopkins Rd Newstead, Hamilton
Thursday 12 December 10.00am with Joan
Stumble Inn, 200 Mangorei Road
Merrilands, New Plymouth
Tuesday 17 December 10.30 with Catherine
Colombus at Mitre 10 MEGA
25 Bouverie St, Petone, Lower Hutt.
Thursday 19 December 10.00am with Joan
Stumble Inn, 200 Mangorei Road
Merrilands, New Plymouth
A favourite psalm So full of Hope! Love your comment our Christian faith. We are never alone………
“Praying the Psalms reminds me that I am a part of something much greater.” And this is so beautifully experienced when sung with cantor intoning the verses and everyone singing the responses. Music illuminates the intentions of.each psalm perhaps colouring our memory.
I love the part about praying for those who are suffering and those who are rejoicing
In deed we only have to look at the News at night time to see people tormented by the scourges of war, they would certainly thank us for praying the psalm ‘ Out of the depths I have cried to you Oh Lord….’