Psalm 51, one of the most beloved of the penitential psalms was written by King David shortly after his affair with Bathsheba when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet about his great sin against his God and against his nation. It is known as the Miserere, which comes from Latin meaning "mercy" and from the first line of the psalm, which begins, "Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness."
King David wrote this psalm as part of his repentance for his great sin. This psalm is recited every Friday in the Liturgy of the Hours within the Church worldwide. If you do not pray the Liturgy of the Hours, I would encourage you to reflect on this psalm regularly during the Lenten season, and think back on those times when you needed God to blot out your offense or to wash away all your sins.
Lent is a time of penitence and renewal, a time that is so well stated in this psalm. You will remain in my prayers this Lent and I pray that you may find the many graces that God bestows on you as you renew your journey with our Lord in your life as a Christian.
Lent is not a unique season, different from Advent or Christmas. It is part of the journey, the continuum, the falling in love, staying in love, growing in love with Jesus. Lent is an invitation to be open, to be transformed, to be loved. To be open to Christ’s love, to His invitation, to His challenge and it is not always easy. Lent is a get-away time—a time to spend together, the Lover and the beloved. It is a time to relax into the relationship, to enjoy, and to refresh and to grow within our unique and intimate bond. Lent is an invitation to trust. Lent is an opportunity to allow Mystery to reveal truths about who we are and who we are called to be.
We are invited to pray, fast, abstain and give alms. But these are not ends in themselves. They are suggestions regarding ways to make room for, to open up to, and to be available to Mystery. To pray – just another way of saying spending time, paying attention, being available to Jesus. Sincere intimate conversation, laughter, tears and deep silent present being-with is prayer. To abstain from that which distracts us from Christ is to make room for Christ. He brings humor, peace, joy, comfort as well as challenge. The graces of Advent and Christmas support whatever the gift of Lent. Often change and/or reconciliation is the gift of Lent. Movement from un-freedom to freedom may occur within the intimacy of the relationship. Jesus’ love changes us. Within Mystery the invitation to reconciliation is gently and mercifully offered. The inner shift from un-freedom to freedom can be this year’s Lenten gift. Lent is about inner healing, inner growth. Our personal Lenten journeys will resemble no other, because they are unique to our relationship with Jesus. Lent is not a season of doing something, but of experiencing something. Lent is the experience of something deep, exciting, challenging, sincere, profound and self-changing—something in our face, or something subtle and almost overlooked. The graces of Lent, as with Advent and Christmas flows and grows within and through us forever, it is not seasonal.
On the journey from the stable under the stars to the cross under the broiling sun to the glorious Resurrection morning, may we come to a heartfelt appreciation that yes, evil does exist and we compassionately witness the pain and suffering, possibly live it ourselves. May we come to a heartfelt knowledge that God never abandons us and is ever present – in the waiting, in the pain, and in the rescue. And that we may live in unending gratitude for the gratuitous gift of God’s love ever at hand.
King David wrote this psalm as part of his repentance for his great sin. This psalm is recited every Friday in the Liturgy of the Hours within the Church worldwide. If you do not pray the Liturgy of the Hours, I would encourage you to reflect on this psalm regularly during the Lenten season, and think back on those times when you needed God to blot out your offense or to wash away all your sins.
Lent is a time of penitence and renewal, a time that is so well stated in this psalm. You will remain in my prayers this Lent and I pray that you may find the many graces that God bestows on you as you renew your journey with our Lord in your life as a Christian.
Lent is not a unique season, different from Advent or Christmas. It is part of the journey, the continuum, the falling in love, staying in love, growing in love with Jesus. Lent is an invitation to be open, to be transformed, to be loved. To be open to Christ’s love, to His invitation, to His challenge and it is not always easy. Lent is a get-away time—a time to spend together, the Lover and the beloved. It is a time to relax into the relationship, to enjoy, and to refresh and to grow within our unique and intimate bond. Lent is an invitation to trust. Lent is an opportunity to allow Mystery to reveal truths about who we are and who we are called to be.
We are invited to pray, fast, abstain and give alms. But these are not ends in themselves. They are suggestions regarding ways to make room for, to open up to, and to be available to Mystery. To pray – just another way of saying spending time, paying attention, being available to Jesus. Sincere intimate conversation, laughter, tears and deep silent present being-with is prayer. To abstain from that which distracts us from Christ is to make room for Christ. He brings humor, peace, joy, comfort as well as challenge. The graces of Advent and Christmas support whatever the gift of Lent. Often change and/or reconciliation is the gift of Lent. Movement from un-freedom to freedom may occur within the intimacy of the relationship. Jesus’ love changes us. Within Mystery the invitation to reconciliation is gently and mercifully offered. The inner shift from un-freedom to freedom can be this year’s Lenten gift. Lent is about inner healing, inner growth. Our personal Lenten journeys will resemble no other, because they are unique to our relationship with Jesus. Lent is not a season of doing something, but of experiencing something. Lent is the experience of something deep, exciting, challenging, sincere, profound and self-changing—something in our face, or something subtle and almost overlooked. The graces of Lent, as with Advent and Christmas flows and grows within and through us forever, it is not seasonal.
On the journey from the stable under the stars to the cross under the broiling sun to the glorious Resurrection morning, may we come to a heartfelt appreciation that yes, evil does exist and we compassionately witness the pain and suffering, possibly live it ourselves. May we come to a heartfelt knowledge that God never abandons us and is ever present – in the waiting, in the pain, and in the rescue. And that we may live in unending gratitude for the gratuitous gift of God’s love ever at hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment