Advent Meditations: Friday 11 December

Dec 11, 2020 by Jill

Fri
Dec 11

am 31
pm: 36

Isa 7:10-25

2 Thes 2:13-3:5

Luke 22:14-30

TODAY ON THE LITURGICAL CALENDAR – St. Damasus, Bishop and Biblicist, 343. St. Damasus is perhaps best well known for commissioning St. Jerome to complete the translation of the Bible into the Latin language. It was under his wishes that the various books of the Bible, scattered in different parts of the Orient, were collected into one volume. So committed to the Psalms, he insured that the practice of singing the Psalms day and night in the churches would be a norm and also was the person added “the Glory Be”/Gloria Patri at the end of each Psalm.

MEDITATION – It is fitting on this day that we consider the Psalms appointed for today and perhaps especially Psalm 36. In this psalm the psalmist echoes some of the very themes we face in this day and age. He contrasts the experience of living in the dark places of life as opposed to seeking the light of God in Christ Jesus. Again, we are confronted with that theme that haunts us throughout Advent. There are choices to be made as the calendar moves toward December 25^th through January 6^th. The choices that we may make could lead us to darkness because it reflects a life and vision that does not seek to honor or acknowledge the Lord and his ways. Conversely, the psalmist also describes the possibilities of choosing the path of God and how the fruits of this very season love, peace, faith and joy are experienced. The psalm does not leave us in a state of darkness wallowing in the abyss but instead draws us to embrace a God who cares. Not only about his own but all the peoples of the world, which in turn compels us to see the world differently.

PRAYER: Father, give us the discipline to meditate in Your Psalms Word, “day and night., as you call us to pray them in the life of the Church. Help us to take these holy Words into our minds just as we take food into our bodies. Teach us to impart their wisdom in our minds we might live for you. May they be an inspiration to the discipline we need to follow you this Holy Advent and all the yearlong. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE/ACTIVITY – Write down a list of your 5 favorite Psalms. Then identify 5 Psalms you are unfamiliar with, read them and offer a reflection of comparisons between the two lists.

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: “The Psalms heals the old wounds of the soul and gives relief to recent ones. It cures the illnesses and preserves the health of the soul. The Psalms brings peace, soothes the internal conflicts, calms the rough waves of evil thoughts, dissolves anger, corrects and moderate’s profligacy. Every Psalm preserves friendship and reconciles those who are separated. Who could actually regard as an enemy the person beside whom they have raised a song to the one God?”. St. Basil the Great from The Commentary on Psalm 1.

See also: Advent Devotion 10 – God in our Distress, from GAFCON