Fly Like A Bird

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bird, flight, fly, freedom of the sky, God's throne, never be alone, psalm 11, psalm 150, Psalm 23, psalm 89, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Psalm 11 did not strike me as familiar this morning. It wasn’t like Psalm 23 or 89 or 150 whose words jump to my consciousness. The sentiments were not out of the ordinary for the psalmist – God’s throne in heaven, searching the just and the wicked, the upright seeing God’s face – eventually…but something made me search deeper. I was rewarded immediately upon seeing the title in one of the alternative translations. The whole psalm was easily recognizable there but it was the title that was key. When I read: Fly, Fly Away Like A Bird, I immediately began to sing a song by Ken Canedo that I first heard sung by Jesse Manibusan at a parish youth concert many years ago. Because it is both lyric and music that holds the fullness of the message, I recommend a trip to YouTube today for all of us. (I’ve already listened twice.) Absent that, below are the words of the chorus. For anyone who has ever wished for the gift of flight or watched the birds soar in the freedom of the sky, it is easy to feel the heart of the metaphor.

Fly like a bird to the Lord, my soul. I want to soar like an eagle. Though I may journey far away from home, I know I’ll never be alone.

David

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Acts of the Apostles, David, faithful frienship, fountainhead, God's love, imperfection, psalm 89, quiet, reflection, sheep, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

When I was young I always thought that if I had a son I would name him David. For no logical reason, David was my favorite name. It sounded both strong and gentle to me; I just liked it – not Dave really, but David. And this was before I ever encountered the famous David of the Scriptures.

All the readings for this morning speak of or at least advert to David in some way. The Acts of the Apostles and Psalm 89 name him, while Jesus just speaks of “my chosen.” That got me thinking of what a complex character David was and how wonderful for the rest of us that he was not perfect – at least for those of us who tend to compare ourselves to others (a very bad habit indeed!).

I think of David in the fields tending sheep and wonder if he was sorry to be called away from that duty. Being alone out in nature with the animals – recalcitrant though they might be at times – in the quiet that allows reflection must have had its appeal for him. I can only imagine the shock of hearing when he was summoned into the prophet’s presence that he was to be King of Israel. No one could have predicted that, it seems, but God.

If one believes that David is the author of all or even a majority of the scriptural Book of Psalms, it’s easy to intuit the ups and downs, the sins and repentance in his life. Noted for expressing every emotion known to humans, they are the perfect witness to his misuse of power, adulterous behavior, deep friendship with and loss of Jonathan and – most of all – his recognition and humble acceptance of God’s deep, all-encompassing love for him. I like to think about David because although he seems in every way larger than life (no event in his life was a small thing) he is also, essentially, like the rest of us: sometimes faith-filled, devoted and well-motivated and sometimes less so. He made big mistakes, was even punished for them, but never gave up on his relationship with God nor did God give up on him. So I sing with the psalmist this morning in gratitude for the example of great love even in imperfection and with confidence that God sees us no differently than this beloved servant.

Your love, O Lord, I will forever sing, your faithful friendship shall be the subject of my song. For I have come to know your love as fountainhead, its ceaseless source not here, but in your high abode. And you yourself have made this oath of faithfulness to us and all of David’s line, a covenant proclaimed to all you chose, a promise made to us that never ends. (Ps. 89:1-4)

 

The Balance of Power

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authority, discern, faithfulness, Israel, Jesus, justice, love, Mark, psalm 89, Samuel, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth

Today’s readings reflect on the question and content of authority. In the Hebrew Scripture (1 SM 8:4-7, 10-22) the elders of Israel come to Samuel in his old age and insist that they need a king to rule – as is the case in other nations. Samuel points out what that might mean in terms of the authority a king would have over the people that would change life as they know it, but they continue to insist. God tells Samuel to give them what they want and learn by experience what it means.  In the gospel (MK 2:1-12), when Jesus heals a paralytic by saying, “Your sins are forgiven,” the scribes grumble about where he gets the authority to talk that way. Jesus, knowing his own authority and that it comes from God, asks whether it is easier to tell the man his sins are forgiven (indicating, I think, a deeper healing) or to get up and walk. As with Samuel, Jesus then says to the man, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat and go home.” When he did, the people “were all astounded and glorified God.”

The question of how people view authority and where true power really lies led me from those readings to the psalm refrain (PS 89:16-19). In both traditional and modern language, the seat of power seems to rest in the balance between the light of love and justice. Here are three translations.

Blessed are the people who know the joyful shout; in the light of your countenance, O Lord, they walk. At your name they rejoice all the day, and through your justice they are exalted. For you are the splendor of their strength, and by your favor our horn is exalted. For to the Lord belongs our shield, and to the Holy One of Israel, our King.

Your guiding hands, your strengthening arms embrace us and draw us in and place us everywhere in right relationship to all: to truth and love and justice done, their one true source your face, your throne. And all who seek that face shall shout in festive praise. They walk and your abiding faithfulness lights up their way; their feet keep balance on the path of right towards you.

Blessed are those who know your Love, who walk in the Light of your countenance! Blessed are those who call upon your Name and extol truth and justice! For You are the glory of their strength; You give wise counsel. Our very lives belong to You, O Loving Companion Presence. 

To all of this I would add for our world today that those are blessed who are able to look deeply – past any “politically correct” rhetoric – to discern the heart of where true authority lies in others but also in ourselves. And blessed are we when we act from that deeper place regardless of the favor or criticism that may arise as a result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Covenant Forever

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Abraham, Christ, covenant, Emmanuel, family, Jesus, King David, Lord, love, promise, psalm 89, religious community, Scripture, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today all the Scripture readings highlight the God’s relationship with King David, his ancestors and his descendants – a secure, unbreakable covenant of unfailing love for all time. Although I have never borne children and cannot trace my ancestry back many generations, I feel the fullness of the concept of covenant in the family stories that I do know and in the larger “family” that I inhabit in my religious community and in the “family” of the eastern part of the USA. It is not an easy time for us; destruction and unrest seem the order of the day. Underneath it all, however, I have a hope that we will survive because of the promise that God made to Abraham, renewed in Christ and manifest in ways seen and unseen in all of us. As we anticipate the blossoming forth of Emmanuel this night we might reflect on the words of Psalm 89 from today’s liturgy.

Your love, O Lord, I will forever sing, your faithful friendship shall be the subject of my song. For I have come to know your love as fountainhead, it’s ceaseless source not here, but in your high abode. And you yourself have made this oath of faithfulness to us and all of David’s line, a covenant  proclaimed to all you chose, a promise made to us that never ends. The heavens are the witness, Lord, to what you say and do, your steadfast love to us is clear. (Ps. 89:1-5)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost Here

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cosmos, dawn, Emmanuel, goodness of the Lord, Luke, Peace, praise God, psalm 89, shine, sing, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, Thomas Merton, Zachariah

I woke early this morning. It seems as if God were taking my determination for today seriously (see yesterday’s post). I’m still not quite “on tiptoe” as I need my second cup of coffee for that but today’s Scripture texts and Thomas Merton have started the process. From Thomas Merton’s A Book of Hours by Kathleen Deignan, I read:

Sunrise is an event that calls forth solemn music in the very depths of man’s nature, as if one’s whole being had to attune itself to the cosmos and praise God for the new day, praise Him in the name of all the creatures that ever were or ever will be.

That’s a perfect accompaniment, I think, to Psalm 89 whose refrain for the day is: Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord! There is a melody for that in my head which perhaps will last the day. The gospel that ends the long first chapter of Luke is another song, the Canticle of Zachariah, which is a beautiful expression of what today’s waiting is about. May the last verse be our companion through this, our vigil, to the brilliance of the coming of Emmanuel.

In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace.