Friday, February 23, 2018


Friday, February 23, 2018
Commemoration of Polycarp, bishop and martyr 156
Reading: Psalm 22:23-31
Antiphon:
“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before him."  Psalm 22:27

On the second Sunday in Lent, we chant together the same psalm that we hear during the stripping of the altar at the conclusion of the Maundy Thursday liturgy: Psalm 22. But the psalm antiphon for this Sunday illumines the psalm's poetry with a different light. This antiphon, from verse 27, highlights the praise of God going out to all nations, the Hamon-Goyyim of Genesis 17. We often think of Psalm 22 as a song of lament, but praise is interwoven through-out. Perhaps this is a wise model for us to follow in our own prayer: interweave with praise and gratitude. Gratitude changes the heart; it changes the way we approach each day. Even the Jewish Mourner's Kaddish is essentially a prayer of praise. The basic Jewish form for blessing is: Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, creator of the universe, for you have made___.

Lord, Thou hast given so much to me,
Grant one thing more - a gratefull hearte. Amen
            (George Herbert)

  • ·       Take a walk, giving thanks to god for all you see.


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