Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 19 The Discipline of Psalmody
Mass: Jm 4:1-10; Resp Ps 55; Mk 9:30-37

Cast your care upon the Lord, and He will support you.

LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH, GIVE PRAISE TO THE LORD!

HALLELUJAH!

(Ps 150:6)

As is customary, we said "Hallelujah!" after Psalm 150 at Vigils this morning. This is the last time for that though, until the Easter season. On this day before Ash Wednesday, when many are getting things out of their system with Mardi Gras celebrations, let us get "Hallelujah!" out of our system and "Give praise for God's mighty deeds, praise Him for His great majesty" (Ps 150:2). HALLELUJAH!


Looking to St Benedict and the Holy Rule, we enter the Lenten season with two of the most beautiful chapters in the Holy Rule: today, Ch 19 The Discipline of the Psalmody, and tomorrow Ch 20 Reverence in Prayer. These two chapters conclude the chapters on the liturgical code that we have been busy with for days. One may find Benedict's exposition on the liturgical "code", or generally speaking what psalms to pray and how many to pray during the course of the liturgical year, tedious. However, there are many things to keep in mind regarding the "code". First, how integral to the life of any Christian, whether inside or outside of the monastery, is prayer, and here the praying of the psalms. Whatever our individual and/or communal prayer practice is, we can reflect upon some words of St Benedict in Ch 19 and 20: "We believe that the divine presence is everywhere and that in every place the eyes of the Lord are watching the good and the wicked (Prov 15:3) … we must always remember to sing praise wisely (Ps 46[47]:8); and, In the presence of the angels I will sing to you (Ps 137[138]:1)" (RB 19:1, 3, 4). And three of my favorite verses: "Whenever we want to ask some favor of a powerful person, we do it humbly and respectfully, for fear of presumption. How much more important, then, to lay our petitions before the Lord God of all things with the utmost humility and sincere devotion. We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words" (RB 20:1-3). HALLELUJAH!

HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE THE LORD AND HE WILL EXALT YOU.

(Jm 4:10)

IN ANYONE WISHES TO BE FIRST, HE SHALL BE THE LAST OF ALL AND THE SERVANT OF ALL.

(Mk 9:35)

© Gertrude Feick 2020