Multiple thoughts – all leading me back to Jesus, and the cross!

Why am I so sad?
Why am I so upset?
I should put my hope in God and keep praising him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:5 NCV (repeated word for word in verse 11)

What the Church is underscoring here is more than the ceaseless alternation of dying and becoming, more than the consoling fact that a new generation with new ideas and new hopes always succeeds the old one. Were that all that was being commemorated here, then the Child would have offered no hope for Simeon, but only for himself. But it is more than that; it is hope for everyone, because it is a hope that extends beyond death.

Arise, oh God! display Thy might—
Attend Thy people’s cries;
Since mercy is Thy chief delight,
To show it, Lord, arise:
From earth let all the wicked cease,
And give Thy chosen people peace.

Oh God! how bright shall be that day,
When all our toils are o’er,
And our glad souls shall fly away
To yonder blissful shore:
Oh, how supremely blest are they
Who make the Lord their only stay!

LORD Jesus Christ, our only comfort, our hope, our righteousness, our strength and sure defence, we beseech Thee, kindle in our breasts a fervent desire, hunger, and thirst for that eternal food of the soul,—Thy true body and blood,—that we may gladly and frequently receive the glorious Sacrament in true realization of our sins and strong reliance upon Thee, unto the strengthening and assurance of our souls, until at last life’s pilgrimage ended, we come to Thee in the true Fatherland, to see Thee face to face, and abide with Thee through all eternity. Amen.

Let us, then, labor for an inward stillness— An inward stillness and an inward healing; That perfect silence where the lips and heart are still, and we no longer entertain our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions, But God alone speaks in us, and we wait In singleness of heart, that we may know His will, and in the silence of our spirits, That we may do His will, and do that only!

A lot of my devotional reading this morning reflected the same thought – dealing with sadness, and not being satisfied with the situation we are dealt in life. I have been there, far more often than i share, and i muddle through it, struggling, yet confident that God is somehow at work

The Psalmist’s words hit home in the mist of this paradox, noting not only the depression/despair/angst one dwells within, but the fact they can still find hope in God–and keep praising Him – for He is our Savior.

This was Pope Benedict’s point about Simeon and Jesus. Simeon can die in peace, having witnessed the horrors of Roman occupation, because he knew that the Messiah would not only bless the younger generations, but give the “hope that extends beyond death.” A hope that can be known, even as we are dreading getting out of bed in the morning, or dealing with some trauma or sin – there is still hope there… (if there wasn’t such experiences, why would we need hope anyway?_

Martin Luther takes on the thought – focusing on the joy awaiting us and the fact that God does show us mercy, and brings us peace in the midst of the hurricane–but the greatest joy awaits us in the presence of God the Father, the place we belong, the place assured for us at the cross we are drawn to, and share with Jesus.

The Jesus whom Loehe points out in this incredible prayer, meant to be prayer before the Lord’s Supper. Not because the supper is magic, but it is because that moment is one commanded for us to commune with God. It takes our sin and brokenness, things that crush us, and wipes them away for we recognize Jesus in that moment, His body and blood–and the promise of healing and the assurance that we are welcome in the presence of God. Loehe isn’t some kind of mystic, but the promises of the Eucharist are there to sustain us until this life ends, and we finally find ourselves at home.

Which brings us to Longfellow – and the promises of Psalm 46 – of being still – and knowing God. And we let HIm minister to us, we let Him speak, and we finally listen. “given for you!” “shed for you!”

IN the 20 years I have been a Lutheran, my dedication to celebrating the Eucharist ha only grown, and I rejoice in weeks like this – where i get to share it with more shut-ins, as well as with the church on Sunday morning. For its been a rough week one were the Psalmist’s words I’ve actually used…..acknowledging the brokenness – and more importantly – the hope…..

And so I will praise Him for the hope.

Ratzinger, Joseph. 1992. Co-Workers of the Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year. Edited by Irene Grassl. Translated by Mary Frances McCarthy and Lothar Krauth. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.

Luther, Martin, and John Hunt. 1853. The Spiritual Songs of Martin Luther: From the German. Translated by Thomas Clark. London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co.

Lœhe, William. 1914. Seed-Grains of Prayer: A Manual for Evangelical Christians. Translated by H. A. Weller. Chicago: Wartburg Publishing House.

HW Longfellow, “Christus: A Mystery.” Nolasco, Rolf, Jr. 2011. The Contemplative Counselor: A Way of Being. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.