Suffering With Joy

Sunday Snippets – A Catholic Carnival

September 5, 2010

Welcome to the weekly meme hosted by RAnn at This, That and the Other Thing.  Visit her site to read other Catholic bloggers’ favorite posts of the week.

At Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God I wrote about how I got through a really bad week prior to this one.

In Christ and the Rich Meaning of “Amen” I wrote about how the meaning of “Amen” helped my prayer life and witness to Christ.

In Sabbath Moments I wrote about how God touched my life this week and last.

I commented on Psalm 34 in Praying the Psalms – Psalm 34, including another painting by Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger.

God bless all my readers.

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link for why I end my posts with this.)

Tags: psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 34

September 4, 2010

King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection

Jenny at Just a Minute hosts this meme.  Visit her and read what other bloggers write about this psalm.

The psalms are the prayers Jesus, Mary, and Joseph prayed together at home and in the temple. In the midst of their daily activities, good Jews stopped to pray these hymns of David.  Today we can invite the Holy Family into our homes to pray them with us as we carry on a tradition that comes from our Jewish roots.

Psalm 34 is a great treasure, containing many nuggets of wisdom for the poor and suffering.  It is an alphabetical psalm in that each verse begins with the sequential letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This would have made it easy to commit to memory and for the faithful to chant it.  We find in it, among other things, some of the words and ideas Our Lady spoke in her inspired prayer, “My soul magnifies the Lord”, the Magnificat from Luke: 1: 46-55. It is the psalm of the poor and suffering. Is that not all of us in this vale of tears?

vs. 1-4 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be ever in my mouth.  Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad.  O magnify the Lord with me, let us together extol His name. [How much God desires that His creatures glory in Him, and tell of His wondrous deeds!  If we do that, we are practicing humility, developing the habit of seeing God's hand everywhere in our lives and praising Him unceasingly through good fortune and bad.]

vs. 4-6 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.  Look to Him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. [ Only God can free us from our fears, and in this life there is often much to fear.  He is our great liberator if we but ask.  I know because in my journey to trust in Him He has freed me from many fears.  To look to Him in all things becomes a joy that radiates from us.  Joy, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is the mark of the Christian.  Our faces will not blush with the shame of sin when Christ is the center of our lives.]

vs. 7-11 When the afflicted man called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress He saved him.  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the Lord is; happy the man who takes refuge in Him.  Fear the Lord, you His holy ones, for naught is lacking to those who fear Him.  The great grow poor and hungry; but those who seek the Lord want for no good thing. [Fear of the Lord, a gift of the Holy Spirit, teaches us wisdom, the ability to see with the eyes of faith and act accordingly.  We know that the power of the Evil One is much weaker than the almighty power of God Who has given each of us our own angel to help deliver us from daily temptation.  In receiving the Holy Eucharist, tasting the goodness of the Lord, we increase in grace to seek God rather than all the things of the world which can never make us happy. We will want for no good thing - the things that really count.  We are filled with every grace and blessing no matter our life circumstances.]

Psalm 34 - Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger - Artist's comment:"What a powerful statement. A person who desires life must do good and seek peace and guard his tongue. In the tree of life, the branches spell the famous saying of Rabbi Akiva, 'Love thy neighbor as thyself.' " (God said it first in Lev. 19:18 and Jesus said it in the Gospels.)

vs. 12-18  Come, children, hear me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. [This verse moves me, reminding me that Jesus said only those who become as little children will enter His kingdom.  With the simplicity of a child I will fear the Lord and love Him for His care of me.] Which of you desires life, and takes delight in prosperous days?  Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking guile; turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The Lord has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry.  the Lord confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.  When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. [ All these things are connected. The evil and lying tongue can be no part of the life and prosperity of heaven, no part of justice. Let me not be among those stricken from remembrance at the Last Judgment. Rather may I allow the Lord to rescue me from deliberate sin which brings chaos to lives and enslaves us in ungodly habits.]

vs. 19-23 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.  Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the Lord delivers him; He watches over all his bones; not one of them shall be broken.  Vice slays the wicked, and the enemies of the just pay for their guilt.  But the Lord redeems the lives of His servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in Him. [  These last verses are about Christ.  Not a bone of His was broken in His extreme suffering and death.  His enemies paid in the fall of Jerusalem and all of them throughout the centuries will pay at the Last Judgment.

The punishment of sin is the sin itself. But those who serve the Lord and their neighbor, who give their lives over to Christ and seek the will of the Father will never incur eternal punishment.  We have been redeemed at a great price and must never squander our redemption by turning away from God. May I always take refuge in the Lord.  May He be the first and last One I think of in life and death.]

V.  Praised be Jesus Christ!

R.  Now and forever.  Amen.

(Click on the link above for the reason I end my posts like this.)

Tags: psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 32

August 20, 2010

On Saturday’s we join Jenny at Just a Minute to reflect on words of a particular Psalm.  Meet me and other bloggers who enjoy short meditations on these classic  prayers.

It’s easy.  If you are a blogger, just write a post on today’s psalm with a link to Just a Minute, go there and fill out your name and post address in the Mister Linky application, and presto!  Others will find you at Jenny’s place.  If you aren’t a blogger, just enjoy reading our posts and leave a comment if you are so moved.

Psalm 32 is one of the penitential psalms of the Church and a good one to recite after confession. “Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name..” (Luke 1: 49)

v. 1-2  Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. [To be blessed is to be full of the grace of God.  God is all truth and the man who's spirit contains deceitfulness is pairing with the great Adversary who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning against God.  We must not fool ourselves or rationalize our sins, for to do that is to forgo true repentance.  When we examine our conscience we must hide nothing from ourselves or from God. We must admit all transgressions completely so that God may heal us.  Only He can forgive our sins.  We cannot forgive our own sins.]

v.3-4  When I declared not my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. [With repeated, deliberate sin our body and soul waste away.  Our ability to love God, neighbor and ourselves shrivels.  We are attached to something poisonous that wastes away the good in us until we lack the strength to overcome any temptation.  God's hand leaves us no peace.  His love is so great, and His desire to unite us to Himself so powerful that He nudges us constantly until we confess. If we resist claiming our transgressions in full, we prolong our inner agony.  We can only recover by deep repentance, confession, and amendment of our life with the help of God's grace.]

v. 5-7  I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;then Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.  Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to thee; at a time of distress, in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.  Thou art a hiding place for me, thou preservest me from trouble; thou dost encompass me with deliverance. [Our safest refuge is in the heart of the Lord, the Christ whose heart was pierced with a lance, the one who hides us from evil. When our relationship with the Lord is made right, we desire to urge everyone who is God-oriented to praise Him for His eternal love of us.  The sick who have been made well by repentance are made new, and a fresh start is cause for joy.  At the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Great Thanksgiving, we re-present to the Father His Son who has encompassed us with deliverance by the shedding of His precious blood.]

v. 8-11  I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eyes upon you.  Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not keep with you.  Many are the pangs of the wicked; but steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! [Sin is stubborn and irrational behavior, a fruit of a wrong relationship with God. We are admonished not to be senselessly stubborn, because God will curb us in His way if necessary and we will suffer the consequences of our stubbornness.  How many times have I persisted stubbornly in doing what I want rather than what God wants?  How many times do I give into bad habits I am too lazy to battle against?  Am I not the stubborn mule?  And do I not feel the whip for this stubbornness?  How much of my difficulties in life and relationships are because I won't give in to God? Lord, I need to abandon myself to You, to wrap myself in your steadfast love and not look with longing backwards to my evil ways.  Let me shout with joy from an upright heart infused with the Holy Spirit that is directed towards Thee alone.]

V. Praised be Jesus Christ.

R. Now and forever.  Amen.

Click on the link above for the reason I ended the post this way.

Tags: psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 31

August 14, 2010

King David Playing the Zither, Andrea Celesti (1637-1712 Venice), oil on canvas, private collection

On Saturdays we join Jenny at Just a Minute for the Praying the Psalms meme.  Meet me and other bloggers who reflect on a new psalm each week, and leave comments if you are so moved.

In this psalm, which alternates between bewailing his physical and mental sufferings and the treachery of others, and expressing complete trust in God, King David exposes the misery and helplessness of the human condition. The final verses contain a great exhortation, a great call to action for the Christian.  But before we get there, we stop along the way to join Christ on the Cross in verse 5:

v.5: Into Thy hands I commend my spirit; Thou hast redeemed me O Lord, O faithful God. [Recounted in Luke 23:46, we see our Savior, apparently a great failure over Whom Satan has apparently triumphed, making the final offering of Himself to His Father. With these words on His dying lips, Christ shows us that no matter how dark things seem to earthly eyes, with the heavenly eyes of the soul we know without a doubt that we are redeemed, that God is faithful to His promises, that with true repentance comes true forgiveness, and we will not be put to shame (cast into hell) forever.

From the hour of Compline in the Divine Office on Fridays:

R.  Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit (which is repeated)

V.  For You have redeemed us, O Lord, God of truth.

R. I commend my spirit.

V.  Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

R.  Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

The Church prays this before sleep that should we die in the night, we will sleep in the Lord. It has always been a favorite of mine because of the expressed abandonment to Divine Providence and reminder of Christ's suffering.  We can never ponder enough that final act of self-sacrifice that culminated in our redemption, and we can never express trust in God too much. ]

And now the great exhortation:

v. 23-24: Love the Lord all you His faithful ones! The Lord keeps those who are constant, but more than requites those who act proudly.  Take courage and be stouthearted, all you who hope in the Lord. [To be constant does not mean we never sin.  It means that we constantly repent and attempt in good faith to live the Gospel.  We keep our eyes on the words and example of Christ and seek His light.  Getting distracted by the evil in this world and willfully placing ourselves in occasions of sin disturbs constancy and impedes us on that road through the narrow gate.

The proud and haughty who live as if they are above the law and who abuse the anawim will be requited according to their crimes, an eternal and horrifying requital from which there is no escape. Just as the Jews suffered in the temporal world, so we continue to suffer today from the proud.  Although the Lord has come and opened the gates of heaven for us, we must courageously walk in His bloody footsteps, for the servant is not greater than the Master. But each day affords us many opportunities to be stouthearted and hope in the Lord, especially when we are tempted to revenge, to contumely, and to nursing hurt feelings. Lord, that I may be humble and trust in Thee completely - that I may follow Thee courageously with an unwavering heart.]

Tags: psalms

Vengeance is Mine

August 9, 2010

Last week I wrote about how hackers had cost me both money and peace of mind.  Admittedly, my first reaction was to think of some colorful curses like the well-known Arabic one: “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.”  I even came up with a few highly applicable and intricate ones of my own.  But St. Paul writes in Romans 12: 17-19,

To no man render evil for evil. Provide good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.

It’s clear the Lord’s message is, “Forget about it and let Me take care of it.” Now that is not so easy, but it surely is best. After all, it’s a trillion to one odds that I would ever be able to get direct satisfaction from these predators.  But what of future wrongs?  Until we’re dead, we always have the opportunity for someone to work us over.  How can I develop the mindset God wants me to have so I can really let go and leave things up to Him?

As I was pondering these things, it so happened that my Bible fell open at Psalm 9B (10).  How this occurred I don’t remember, but it seems that the lesson was meant for me and I have been mulling it over all week.  Human nature hasn’t changed in the thousands of years since this prayer was written.  But this psalm surely can bring consolation to the abused and afflicted.  In fact, it describes daily life in a corrupt society we must all deal with and still stay Christian.  As you read this, fill in your own blanks to see how it applies.

1.  Why, O Lord, do you stand aloof?  Why hide in times of distress?

2.  Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted, who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived.

3.  For the wicked man glories in his greed, and the covetous blasphemes, sets the Lord at naught.  The wicked man boasts,

4.  “He will not avenge it”; “there is no God,” sums up his thoughts.

5.  His ways are secure at all times; your judgments are far from his mind;

6.  all his foes he scorns.  He says in his heart, “I shall not be disturbed; from age to age I shall be without misfortune.”

7.  His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

8.  He lurks in ambush near the villages; in hiding he murders the innocent; his eyes spy upon the unfortunate.

9.  He waits in secret like a lion in his lair; he lies in wait to catch the afflicted; he catches the afflicted and drags them off in his net.

10.  He stoops and lies prone till by his violence fall the unfortunate.

11.  He says in his heart, “God has forgotten; he hides his face, he never sees.”

12.  Rise, O Lord!  O God, lift up your hand.

13.  Forget not the afflicted!  Why should the wicked man despise God, saying in his heart, “He will not avenge it”?

14.  You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow, taking them in your hands.  On you the unfortunate man depends; of the fatherless you are the helper.

15.  Break the strength of the wicked and of the evildoer; punish their wickedness; let them not survive.

16.  The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations have perished out of his land.

17.  The desire of the afflicted you hear, O Lord; strengthening their hearts,

18.  you pay heed to the defense of the fatherless and the oppressed, that man, who is of earth, may terrify no more.

Since Holy Scripture is of the Holy Spirit, these inspired words show clearly how God regards those who prey upon the poor. This psalm is both a caution never to throw in with evildoers, and a consolation to the oppressed. If our eyes are unwaveringly fixed on God, the evil men of this world and the demons of hell behind them cannot terrify us.  Yes, I trust in God to deal with the hackers, scammers, murderers, liars and thieves in life as St. Paul urged, and will pray this psalm often that they be prevented from harming others.  I pray also never to be their useful idiot.

Tags: psalms, trust in God

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 30

July 7, 2010

On Saturdays I join Jenny at Just a Minute where we share thoughts on the meme, Praying the Psalms.  Today we are reflecting on Psalm 30, which is thanksgiving for deliverance from death.

1.  I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.  2.  O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me. [Yes, Lord, you came to my aid in temptation so that Satan could not rejoice over a fall.  With the sacrament of Penance you healed my soul, giving me the grace of conversion of heart.]

11.  …Hear O Lord, and have pity on me; O Lord, be my helper. [O Lord, you are always there when I call upon you, taking pity on my weakness. You are my helper in following the Gospel and all good that I do.]

12.  You changed my mourning into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my soul might sing praise to you without ceasing; O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks. [Mourning over sin transforms into joyous dancing of spirit, celebrating the forgiveness and salvation that has come to each of us through Jesus.  In heaven my soul will continue to sing the praise begun here on earth in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass - an unceasing celebration of thanksgiving, the eternal todah to which we are all invited. Lord, grant that I be faithful to you in this life that I may dance with the angels in the next.]

Tags: psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 29

July 31, 2010

Psalms 29:7f., Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger, Artist's comment: "Shafts of fire. In the Scriptures, the Almighty describes Himself as a devouring fire. But this fire is special - it can destroy but it can also purify and elevate. It is so kind, that it can enlighten the path of the lost ones who are searching and lead them towards life, the Eternal's greatest gift."

Psalm 29 is about the voice of the Lord and the many ways He speaks to us, softly and loudly, but always powerfully.

1. Give to the Lord, you sons of God, give to the Lord glory and praise. [This is the justice we owe to God, our creator - always glory and praise for all He has done for us, especially for giving us life.]

2. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; adore the Lord in holy attire. [The name of God is Jesus, the Word, who deserves our thanksgiving and honor and glory and adoration for bending to us, for taking on our flesh and sacrificing Himself for us.

To adore the Lord in holy attire is to stand before Him in sanctifying grace.  Of ourselves we have nothing, but he gives us the holy attire, the wedding clothes, the grace to be humbly and joyfully in His presence. He knows we are poor, yet He wants us in His presence so He gives us the garment of salvation, just what we need to be there.  How can we not glorify His name for this great mercy?]

3-9.  The voice of the Lord is over the waters.  The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic.  The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.  He makes Lebanon leap like a calf and Sarion like a young wild bull.  The voice of the Lord strikes fiery flames; the voice of the Lord shakes the desert, the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.  The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests, and in His temple all say “Glory!” [Jesus commanded the waves to subside and the winds to calm during the storm when His apostles were frightened.  This miracle is the living embodiment of the psalm. No matter how strong the wind blows or how hard it rains, He is there and in control. In every storm I pray to God for protection and ask Him to prevent harm to us, knowing that it pleases Him to be recognized by His creature for His power and glory.]

In the temple of the Lord on every Sunday, we glorify His name in the Gloria in excelsis Deo. His holy Word in the scriptures strikes fiery flames in our hearts – flames that burn our faults and sins away through penance and conversion of heart – flames of longing for Him that become one with the flames of His love for us until we are totally purified of selfishness. All in His temple – angels, saints, and sinners on earth, and all creation cry out “Glory!”  If we do not do this, we have no idea of who we are and Who He is.  We do not know the meaning of love.]

10-11.  The Lord is enthroned above the flood; the Lord is enthroned as king forever.  May the Lord give strength to His people; may the Lord bless His people with peace! [John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Christ is our King forever.  He gives us the peace of knowing that no matter the difficulties we suffer in this life, if we live His teachings we will have eternal harmony, peace, at-one-ness with Him and each other. Who does not want this great blessing?

We are here to practice for our eternal heavenly peace.  The daily battles to overcome our faults and sins are won not with our strength but with His that He gives us when we call upon His name, Jesus.  Perhaps the greatest peace this side of heaven is knowing that no matter how bad things are, the Lord is always with us, seeing and knowing our needs, and teaching us His ways if we look and listen to His voice. It is right that we ask to be blessed with peace, for in asking that, we are asking for the eternal life He wants to give us.  Lord, that I may keep my eyes on the prize in this life so that I may persevere into eternal peace, joy, and life with You.  Send forth the fire of Your Holy Spirit to burn, in mercy, everything that stands between us.  Be my strength in all things for the glory of Your Name.

Tags: peace and joy, psalms

Sunday Snippets – A Catholic Carnival

July 25, 2010

Please join me and other Catholic bloggers for a peek at our favorite posts for the week.  Our hostess is RAnn at This That and the Other Thing. She always has interesting book reviews from the Catholic standpoint and other thoughtful posts as well.

Early this week I finished up some digital art pieces and wrote about the spiritual lessons I took from a subject or two.  If you want to relax and enjoy them visit these posts.  They’re all short.  I’m asking for votes on your favorite rendition of Pogo at Adventures in Art I. For a painting of a horse’s eye visit Adventures in Art II. I finally finished my Indian Paintbrush impressionist work.  It’s been on the back burner and at last it is done!

For a lovely picture of our asparagus bean flowers and what I’ve learned about raising these amazing veggies, visit The Asparagus Bean Surprise III – and if you know anything about those ugly beetles I mentioned, please tell me!

I wrote a short commentary on the Prayer from the 8th Sunday after Pentecost. Another inspiring treasure of the Church.

At Seeking God’s Will I wrote about a dear priest friend and how he died, plus a couple of paragraphs from the book he wrote, which is the subject of my spiritual reading these days.

If you love the psalms, I have a short reflection at Praying the Psalms – Psalm 28 with another painting by Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger.  It’s very interesting to consider the psalms through Jewish eyes.  Although the Orthodox Jews don’t accept Christ as the Messiah, I find I learn much about the Father from his paintings.  I just wish I could read Hebrew.

God bless all my readers and I hope you find something here to enjoy.

Tags: art, psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 28

July 24, 2010

On Saturdays we join Jenny at Just a Minute to pray a new psalm each week. This week we pray Psalm 27 where we learn the reward of trust in the Lord.

I think often of Jesus, Mary and Joseph praying these psalms in the synagogue and at home; of the apostles praying them with Jesus.  The psalms are the prayer of Christ to the Father, and our prayer to the Father in Jesus’ name as members of His Mystical Body.

Psalm 28 illustration by Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger. From a series illustrating all 150 psalms. Artist's comment: "His estate is the world. He made it round like the pupil of His eye or, like the womb pregnant with existence, His world is surrounded by emanations precipitated in the middle of nothingness and supported by His power. For the world would not endure for a second without His care. And His people would not exist for a moment without His blessing."

1.  To You, O Lord, I call; O my Rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you heed me not, I become one of those going down into the pit. [The realm of eternal death and defeat is not ours when we call on the Lord.  The proof of God's mercy and love for us is eternal happiness, but we must call on our Rock who stands firm, never moves, and is always accessible in the storms and ravages of life.]

2.  Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you, lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine. [We lift up our hands to His sanctuary, holding in them our hearts.  The work of our hands is the repression of evil in this world through fulfilling our vocation - to "do whatever He tells you" as Mary instructed the stewards at the wedding of Cana.]

3. Drag me not away with the wicked, with those who do wrong, who speak civilly to their neighbors though evil is in their hearts.

4.  Repay them for their deeds, for the evil of their doings.  For the work of their hands repay them; give them their deserts.

5.  Because they consider not the deeds of the Lord nor the work of his hands, may he tear them down and not build them up. [God is the just judge, the one who tries every heart. We are right to beseech deliverance from the wicked, to not be identified with their deeds, but in charity we must pray for their conversion and forgive them as Christ forgave his tormentors.  Only Satan and his fellow fallen angels are beyond hope and we must pray against them to the Father that they not overcome us.  For us, until we draw our last breath, we hope in God's mercy and justice.]

6.  Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleading; [God always hears us and always gives us what we need.  We must pray that we recognize the gifts and blessings He is giving us, even when they come disguised as suffering and adversity.]

7.  the Lord is my strength and my shield.  In him my heart trusts, and I find help; then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks. [In this great declaration of dependence, we decry any strength of our own and avow a childlike trust in God.  His power and loving care for us is cause for joy and thanksgiving.  This espousal of the truth of our relationship with Him reaches complete fruition in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.]

8.  The Lord is the strength of his people, the saving refuge of his anointed. [Jesus' strength is in His Father - "the Father and I are one," - "Philip, he who sees Me sees the Father".  Anointed at Baptism and Confirmation and finally in Extreme Unction, we profess with Jesus that the Father is our strength.  Fleeing to Him, seeking His face always in the midst of death and destruction around us, we share in the victory of Christ, the Anointed of the Father.]

9.  Save your people, and bless your inheritance; feed them, and carry them forever! [We are the inheritance of Christ, all of us who bow down before the Holy Trinity, who confess Jesus to be our savior and live that confession daily.  We are fed with His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist, and we are carried in the arms of the Father forever.]

Sometimes I, the wriggling child, try to wrench myself from the arms of my Father to go off and do what I want, rather than peacefully resting on His shoulder.  This psalm tells us that our reward for trust in God is to live shielded in His arms and fed on His Word eternally, safe from all disturbance.  The final peace of soul we receive is the rest in absolute Truth and perfect relationship with God.  Lord, that I may stop wriggling and reaching away from you and settle myself in your arms forever!

Tags: psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 27

July 17, 2010

David points to his eye: an illustration of verse 13 of Psalm 27, tempera colors and gold paint on parchment, Master of Jean de Mandeville French, Paris, about 1360 - 1370

Psalm 27 is a prayer of trust in God no matter the adversities we face.  Every verse speaks of faith in the power of God and trust in His ways with sure knowledge of victory over the evil one.  Since my main spiritual task is to learn to trust in God for everything and to thank Him for His goodness, this psalm helps me a lot.  It’s long, so I will take only one of my favorite verses to speak about, #5:

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to contemplate His temple.

One thing I look forward to about heaven is to “behold the beauty of the Lord”, a beauty that is sure to evoke a feeling of everlasting joy.  In heaven everything will be in place, in peace.  Nothing will be able to trouble us.  But God evidently means for us to start practicing faith and hope in Him in this life, and practicing humble worship of Him in His temple, too.  He is our strength.

I am learning not to struggle against adversity in this life, but rather to face it calmly and ask God what He wants me to learn from it.  Facing temporal and spiritual difficulties with peace of heart and confidence in God is a lifelong exercise of the soul and will. It is an habitual turning toward Christ and laying all things at His feet. As Father Paschal Botz, O.S.B. wrote about this psalm:

Faith and trust are an ever-flowing fountain that leads to eternal life.  If we seek His face in the celebrations around the Altar, Christ can fill our whole lives.  Generally Christians do not know all that the Altar means.  It is God’s special place, the crossroads of two worlds, the rock of ages, where trust grows out of the Sacrifice-Banquet.  There we live anew the Mysteries of Christ in our midst, share His sentiments of trust, become identified with His life-giving vitality. We lose our fears and false self and become truly free of real and phantom enemies.  We must take seriously that He is the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12), that no one goes to the Father except through Him (Jn. 14: 6), which includes His incarnation and sacramental system.  He was consumed with passion for God’s house, which He fulfilled in Himself.

After contemplating this I must often say to myself verse #14:

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!

This psalm is prayed every Monday at the hour of Terce in the 1962 Divine Office. Monasteries and convents have it right when they stop everything seven times a day to praise God (eight times if you count getting up at 4:30 to chant Matins).   Because we’re human and very distractable and get agitated over worldly things, setting formal hours throughout the day to recollect ourselves and focus on God builds peace of soul. Holy Mass usually follows Terce in monastic life, and this psalm foretells the sharing in the Holy Eucharist. Gathering around His altar on earth I see the goodness of the Lord (the Holy Eucharist). I am in the land of the living with all others who are living in Him.

Tags: psalms

Sunday Snippets – A Catholic Carnival

July 11, 2010

Welcome to Sunday Snippets where Catholic bloggers get together over at RAnn’s This That and the Other Thing to share our favorite posts for the week.  Please join us even if you aren’t a blogger because Catholic bloggers have interesting things to say.

This week I presented parts of Bishop Finn’s sermon on the feast of St. Josemaria Escriva in my A Path to Holiness post along with a link to The Catholic Key blog.  This blog is by writers of the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocesan newspaper.  The path to holiness is narrow but simple and we can thank St. Josemaria for bringing the ideas of St. Therese’s “Little Way” to laity living in the 20th and 21st century world.

In my Sabbath Moments post I mentioned a couple of ways God touched my life this week.

For a little information on our adventures with hollyhocks and to view my latest digital painting, visit my post A Painting of Hollyhock.

I wrote a reflection on the beautiful prayer from the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost called God, the Master Gardener.

For a reflection on Psalm 26, visit Praying the Psalms – Psalm 26 where I also introduce a painting by a Jewish Orthodox holocaust survivor who has painted all the psalms and has a permanent exhibit in Jerusalem.

God bless all my readers and thanks for visiting.

Tags: art, psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 26

July 10, 2010

Jenny at Just a Minute hosts the meme Praying the Psalms each week.  Join her and other Catholic bloggers who share their thoughts on the psalms.

Painting by Mose Tzvi HaLevi Berger illustrating v.3 of Psalm 26. His comment about it: "The branches of this tree spell the word love. A father who loves his son must teach and reproach him, sometimes with kindness and sometimes with severity. Thus the Almighty's tree projects the color of red for strength and the color of blue for mercy. As for the middle, the white zone is reserved for loving kindness celebrated by surrounding branches."

This week we are covering Psalm 26 where the author defends himself before the law.  This psalm is about innocence on trial in the courts of the Lord.  The innocent One, Christ, prays this to the Father on our behalf. We pray it with Christ, signifying our unity with Him.

1  Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. 2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. 3 For Thy steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to Thee.

We are asking something fearsome in this psalm – to be tested by God in our hearts and minds – to be proven by God as as faithful to Him. God’s tests are never easy, but by constantly keeping the love God has for us before our eyes, that is, seeing and recognizing Him working in our lives for our good, we need not fear failing His tests.  By putting God first in our lives, we walk in faithfulness.  This does not mean that we don’t sin.  It means that we seek never to sin deliberately, and to get up after falling and keep walking on that narrow path that leads to the narrow gate.

4  I do not sit with false men, nor do I consort with dissemblers; 5 I hate the company of evildoers and I will not sit with the wicked.

One of the greatest and surest pieces of spiritual advice is to keep good company. It is akin to the old saying that we are known by the company we keep.  If we love God, we will keep company with others who love Him. We will withdraw from association with those committed to serving Satan even though they may promise us earthly wealth, prestige, and honors.

6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go about thy altar, O Lord, 7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving and telling all Thy wondrous deeds.

Hand washing is symbolic of becoming clean of heart. King David speaks of coming to the altar of sacrifice with a pure heart and joining the procession around it, glorifying God.  Verses 1-7 are a sworn oath in the presence of God. Jesus was the true Innocent with the most pure Heart who glorified and thanked His Father in everything, no matter how bitter His suffering.

This is an important attitude of mind for us when we attend Mass.  We must be washed of sin and denounce our attractions to it before partaking in the Body and Blood of Christ. We must continually seek to be delivered from attachments to sin while asking for the grace to be attached to God. Moreover, we must develop a thankful spirit that does not hesitate to proclaim the great things God has done for us – we, spreading the Gospel, the good news of salvation and all that it implies.  What Jesus did for us on the cross is what we must do for our neighbor.

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwells. 9 Sweep me not away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, 10 men in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes. 11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.  12  My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

Graced we are when we love to attend Mass, to be present in front of the tabernacle, to be for those short moments each week transported from time into eternity. We cannot see the angels and saints in front of us at the Holy Sacrifice, but we know that we, and they, are in the house of God together, the place of glory where He dwells.

In verses 9-10, before the just Judge, we plead for the grace of faithfulness and salvation so that we do not spend eternity in hell with those who persist in offending God. I cannot help thinking of abortionists and aiders of suicide and euthanasia when I read the first part of verse ten. Our God is the God of life who always stands opposed to death and the usurpation of His power by mortals in league with Satan. It is right that we plead not to be swept away with them for in this plea we seek God’s grace to live a holy life that leads to eternity with Him. May our feet be on the level ground.  May we bless the Lord with all the angels and saints forever.

About the illustration:  From the Museum of Psalms in Jerusalem:

Moshe Tzvi HaLevi Berger, born in Transylvania in 1924, is a living embodiment of the strength of the human spirit. A Holocaust survivor, he went on to study art at both the Belle Arte in Rome and the Beaux Arts in Paris. His art has been showcased in over 100 one-man exhibitions across three continents. Mr. Berger has the distinction of being the first artist to exhibit his paintings at Jerusalem’s Western Wall.

Tags: art, psalms

Praying the Psalms – Psalm 24

June 26, 2010

On Saturdays Jenny at Just A Minute hosts this meme.  Join her to see thoughts other Catholic bloggers have on this psalm and join us if you have a mind to do so.

The Church prays this beautiful psalm on Mondays at the hour of Prime, a fitting beginning for the morning prayers of the week.  We are in procession to Mount Sion, our heaven, walking in the footsteps of Christ on the earthly pilgrimage to paradise. King David and his people sang this psalm at the solemn entry of God’s Ark to Mount Sion.  Its jubilant cry foreshadows the glory of the Risen Christ, our King.

This week I am using the CCD translation from my Short Breviary of 1962, the one used for the Psalms in the Novus Ordo.

David, assisted by Christ, lifts up a door and opens the entrance for Christ to come in, St. Alban's Psalter, 12th century

1  The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it. 2 For He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

From the instant of conception we belong to God as does the entire earth and everything on it and in the heavens above. No amount of declaration of man’s superiority can change the fact that he is creature and God is God, the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving uncreated Being.  Man has been given authority over the earth by God as husbandman, to develop and care for it, but he is dust and to dust he will return.  May I be a good steward, O Lord, over my body, soul, and temporal things until You call me home.

3 Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain, nor swears deceitfully to his neighbor.

God sets four conditions upon us to enter His presence: clean hands, clean heart, a soul that is undivided in its pursuit of the holy, and a tongue that is truthful with our neighbor. God desires an inner moral holiness, not the mere ritual cleansing He set forth in the law to the Israelites.  O Lord, give me a pure heart, clean hands, a truthful tongue, and a thirst for You alone.

5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God his savior. 6 Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

Through Christ’s blood, by the ineffable mercy of the Father, we of the Mystical Body of Christ will receive the greatest blessing possible: an eternity of joy in His presence if we seek His face in this life by imitating His Son.  Give me the grace, O Lord, to seek Your face without distraction, and to recognize You when I come upon You.

7 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in!

God is so great the gates are never high enough yet when we open the door of our hearts to Him, lifting up the portal, He always enters and expands His grace (glory) within us. Keep knocking at the door, O Lord, and take away my deafness, that I may hear Your voice.

8 Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle.

The Victor over sin and death, Jesus Christ, is the Lord God of Hosts (Armies).  If we acknowledge Him as leader and take our place behind Him, His strength become our strength, His might, our might.  Through Him we join in the victory over the prince of darkness who can have no part in the glory we will all share. Let me serve You valiantly, O King of glory, never losing sight of the final prize.  With the armies of angels, let me sing Your praise.

9 Lift up, O gates, your lintels; reach up you ancient portals, that the king of glory may come in! 10 Who is this king of glory? The Lord of hosts; He is the king of glory.

All glory, laud and honor to Thee, Redeemer King.

Tags: psalms

Friday Lauds and God’s Snowy Blessing

January 29, 2010

Snow-covered honeysuckle in our back yard

Friday’s hour of Lauds, meaning “praise”, in the Divine Office celebrates deliverance from the Babylonian captivity in Psalm 147 (147 B) and Jerusalem’s God-given privilege.  In a short verse from Romans following the psalms we receive an instruction about how to live in this deliverance.

As I looked out the window watching the snow falling, I thought that although it is cold and gray outside, how perfect is this time to praise with the psalmist the power and glory of God.  So after I finished morning prayers I stumbled out into the gently falling snow and took a few pictures to share along with this  psalm.

Psalm 147

Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Sion.

For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you.

He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat He fills you.  He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs His word!

He spreads snow like wool; frost He strews like ashes.

He scatters His hail like crumbs; before His cold the waters freeze.

He sends His word and melts them; He lets His breeze blow and the waters run.  He has proclaimed His word to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.

He has not done thus for any other nation; His ordinances He has not made known to them.  Alleluia.

"He spreads snow like wool..."

Looking at the allegorical meaning of these scriptures, after the winter of sin comes the springtime of salvation.  Beneath the snow lies the promise of new life – Redemption.  The all-powerful Father sends His Word to melt the cold of our hearts, bringing us the warmth of spiritual peace, joy and prosperity. He fills us with the best of wheat – the Holy Eucharist and the graces It brings.

With His commandments and His blessings (the Beatitudes), He strengthens the bars of the gates of our hearts against Satan and the world. He shows us how to live as people redeemed, laying aside the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light, walking becomingly as in the day (Rom. 13:12-13).  We are a privileged people (“praise your God, O Sion…He has not done thus for any other nation”) with an obligation of lighting the way for those still in winter who do not yet know him or who have fallen away.

Tags: Catholic Church, conversion, psalms