Rising with Our Lord at Work With the Help of This Psalm - 12
We continue with our special meditation on Psalm 118 (Protestants have it as Psalm 119).Our hope is that we can refresh all we do for the greater glory of God.
As we work our way through each section of this astounding psalm, we'll see how its words can help us in our work, to further hone our daily activities that they serve God even as we serve those to whom we owe an honest day's work.
Our posts began during our Easter Season. Now they have spilled over into the Octave of Pentecost.
Oh, right, our Princes got rid of the Octave of Pentecost. (We had a few choice words for our Princes last time.) Why? Who knows. But if you observe the traditional calendar, it's still right there - where it should be.
TAU
169 Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in thy sight: give me understanding according to thy word. 170 Let my request come in before thee; deliver thou me according to thy word. 171 My lips shall utter a hymn, when thou shalt teach me thy justifications. 172 My tongue shall pronounce thy word: because all thy commandments are justice. 173 Let thy hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen thy precepts. 174 I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my meditation. 175 My soul shall live and shall praise thee: and thy judgments shall help me. 176 I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek thy servant, because I have not forgotten thy commandments.
As we arrive at the end of this longest of all Psalms, we seek God's Presence and an understanding of His Word. If we understand and practice His Law, we shall be delivered from any and all of that surrounds us that does not either recognize or follow God's Law. We know He will provide the graces we need to persist, but we nevertheless never tire in our daily petitions for His help.
Our pious devotions remain our daily foundation upon which we "launch" a vibrant spiritual life, one that accompanies us to work each day. If we're not in the habit of spending time with prayer, meditation, Holy Scripture, good spiritual readings - a bit of each - it's time to develop that habit. These practices will advance our understanding of God's Law. They will call upon Him to give us the grace to mold our thoughts, words, and deeds under the influence of His Law.
So there is it, the longest Psalm. It helped us work our way through the Easter Season. It helps us now work our way through the Octave of Pentecost. What's next?
Well, the traditional calendar labels our Sundays until Advent as "after Pentecost." None of the "Ordinary Time" stuff. And with that venerable tradition, we are reminded of just how important Pentecost was as the fire to spread the teachings of Our Lord to the whole world - and how important it remains for us as we do what we can to continue that effort - even in our workplace.
But let's remember that any opportunities that may naturally present themselves in our workplace to witness to Jesus Christ and His Holy Church can only be approached by those who both know and live according to God's Law.
Okay, perhaps overt opportunities may be rare, but our daily words and actions can be a continuing witness. And that witness will only be effective when we both know and follow God's Law from the moment our work day commences until it ends.
One last note: Recall that Psalm 118 begins every week in the Divine Office. St. Benedict so directed when he wrote his Rule. And faithful Benedictine monks - and all who pray the Divine Office - continue that practice to this day.
It's long, but it's well worth the time and effort to read, pray, and study it regularly. We hope these recent posts have been helpful in that endeavor.
Happy Easter!
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