Psalm 147 is the second of the Alleluia psalms that bring the book of the Psalms to a close. It enumerates many reasons to praise our God, any one of which is sufficient reason unto itself. Put together into one psalm, it resonates and resounds so that only the most closed of mind could refrain […]
Read More
I’m looking for a few good women or men, people who are more concerned with helping others than promoting themselves. No sense in looking in congress for such persons. If they are there, they are pretty much invisible. These public servants are too busy trying to ensure they are re-elected, doing insider trading, and protecting […]
Read More
Every created being has an end. The book of Psalms has an end, and so does our study of this book. (Until we start again!) With Psalm 145, we are at the beginning of the end. Psalm 145 is the preface to a series of five psalms of praise that end the psalter. It is […]
Read More
There’s something in the Bible for everyone: for young lovers full of vigor, seniors struggling with disability, for kings and leaders, for the poor or depressed, for simple farm laborers, for family members. That’s part of the beauty of Scripture. It can also be problematic because people often chose to manipulate Scripture to fit their […]
Read More
Do you struggle to know when to stop? Do you have to have the last word in an argument, add a jab at your opponent? Such appears to be the case for the writer of Psalm 143. Not Knowing When to Stop We all know the type. They make a good point in a presentation […]
Read More
If prison walls could talk . . . you would hear stories as unique as all of the individuals who have resided therein. The walls of Long Kesh prison in Northern Ireland would have tales of hunger strikes and protests as IRA prisoners demanded to be treated as political prisoners and refused to put on […]
Read More
Spiritual giants have long known the importance of examining their life on a daily basis to see where they have strayed. This tradition is a long standing one, going back to Ignatius in the 1500’s, however we see a hint of it in Psalm 141. Psalm 141 Psalm 141 is a spiritual gem. It is […]
Read More
The next four psalms in the psaltery, Psalm 140-143, are laments, perhaps in preparation for the explosion of praise and thanksgiving found in the last five psalms. Our psalm for this week, Psalm 140, reminds us that conspiracy theories are nothing new. With all of the conspiracy theories around, this psalm reminds us we need […]
Read More
Icons are a form of religious art designed to lead the viewer into prayer. The eyes are the mirror into the soul, the focal point of the Icon. A friend and mentor of mine on the spiritual path shared her experience with religious Icons. My friend went into a workshop on praying with Icons thinking, […]
Read More
In my thirties and forties, I remember encouraging others to start preparing for their retirement, not just financially, but mentally and spiritually. Everyone ages, but not everyone ages with grace. You can’t expect to reach sixty or seventy or eighty, and become magically gracious, kind, loving and wise, if you never practiced any of these […]
Read More
