Praying with the Psalms

Monday, November 2, 2009 -- Week of Proper 26, Year One
Commemoration of All Faithful Departed

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 990)
Psalms 56, 57, [58] (morning) 64, 65 (evening)
Nehemiah 6:1-19
Revelation 10:1-11
Matthew 13:36-43

The Psalms today are heartfelt expressions of anxiety and hope. All three psalms are cries to God for help. The psalmist feels threatened. We don't hear the exact nature of the threats, but Psalm 56 speaks of enemies, and 57 speaks of "lions that devour the people."

I think of so many people who have been harmed by the recent worldwide depression that we are beginning to emerge from. We have friends who have lost jobs. Others who have seen the work of decades disappear. At a time when the need is most critical, many non-profits have seen their contributions and resources shrink.

We watched the economic crisis happen as the numbers of people accessing our Seven Hills Homeless Center began to rise ahead of the reports of a systemic failure. We've seen the numbers coming for lunch at Community Meals rise so significantly that we opened the south section of the Parish Hall to accommodate the crowds.

I visited with a friend who has been working for quite a while to adopt a second child from China as a sibling for the beautiful child that they adopted several years ago. Because of the economic downturn, the family lost their employer-supplied health insurance benefit. The adoption process will not allow their plans to proceed unless they have insurance. When they sought to purchase their own health insurance, the company will not sell them insurance if they plan to adopt a foreign child.

And I think of the lions that devoured the people with their speculative derivative markets and risky economic deals. So often they were producing nothing, just moving money around, and abusing a system that lacked regulation and effective oversight. Many of the lions have fallen into the pit they dug (57:5), but they dragged the entire global economy into the pit with them.

The psalms offer us words to help us respond in times of trouble. "Whenever I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can flesh do to me? ...Whenever I call upon you, my enemies will be put to flight; this I know, for God is on my side. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust and will not be afraid, for what can mortals do to me? ...For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before you in the light of the living. Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful, for I have taken refuge in you; in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge until this time of trouble has gone by. I will call upon you, O Most High God, you who maintain my cause. You will send from heaven and save me; you will confound those who trample upon me; you will send forth your love and your faithfulness. ...Exalt yourself above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth. My heart is firmly fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and make melody. Wake up, my spirit; awake, lute and harp; I myself will waken the dawn. I will confess you among the peoples, O God; I will sing praise to you among the nations. For your loving-kindness is greater than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds."

There is much to pray for, and there are signs of dawn, that possibly this "time of trouble" is beginning to pass by. This week there is the hopeful possibility that our congress will have the vision and goodness to create a plan that would extend health care coverage to all of God's children. What a glorious relief it would be if everyone in this great nation would finally have accessible, affordable quality health care, as so many other developed countries have. There are hopeful signs that we have paid most of the price for the economic misconduct of our recent past and that recovery is beginning.

Maintain your cause, O God, especially on behalf of the poor and vulnerable. Do not let the greedy lions continue to feed upon your children. Send forth your love and faithfulness. Rescue those who suffer. We put our trust in you, and will not be afraid. Our heart is firmly fixed in you, O God. We wake up the dawn today, with words and melodies of praise. Guide us to do what is right, and to act out of love and compassion to cooperate with your work of healing and reconciliation. In the shadow of your wings we take refuge, until this time of trouble has gone by.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas