Lamentations 2:19-22: Rising Up
Sunday, June 2, 2024
The Book of Lamentations is dark and moody, full of wrath and anger. The coming of Christ is the only antidote against such deep grief. Our own petition for goodness and wholeness brings us into union with this Messiah, Christ. Each day, each night we have the choice before us. We can either try to solve the problems that confront us on our own, or we can Rise up, shrill in the night to beat against heaven’s gate, asking God for mercy and justice for ourselves, for our loved ones, for our enemies. This is what best combats the ugliness we read about today.
In order that we not consumed by this ugly anger that would compel us into further depths, we might look at the opposite of rage-filled thinking. We take on a thinking that rejects rumor, derision, the stirring up of hate and falsehood. Psalm 101:1-7 is part of the Morning Prayer in MAGNIFICAT today. The citation before the prayer follows: Every day offers a choice: what sort of reading, what sort of TV, what sort of conversation, what sort of friends will we choose to welcome into our home? And so we sing with the psalmist: My song is about loyalty and justice, and I sing it to you, O Lord.
Another citation from the Morning Prayer is Philippians 4:8: Whatever is true, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
We know the world is made of diverse creatures and creations that bring us sorrow and joy, diverse conditions that create havoc and love. In order to dispel the dark clouds of today’s lamentation, we might continue.
Whatever is evil, whatever is deceitful, whatever is lie . . . rise up, shrill in the night against the darkness.
Whatever is good, whatever is holy, whatever unites and calls home . . . rise up grateful, in praise of the light.
Whatever is Christ, whatever is spirit, whatever is life-giving . . . rise up joyful, singing with expectation of God’s mercy and justice.
In all circumstances, dark or light, rise up singing with the Lord.
My song is about loyalty and justice, and I sing it to you, O Lord.
Images from: http://thejoysofbeingcatholic.blogspot.com/2016_07_20_archive.html
Adapted from a Favorite written on February 24, 2009.
Cameron, Peter John, Rev., ed. “Mini-Reflection.” MAGNIFICAT. 24 February 2009. Print.
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