March 25/Monday of Holy Week
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? ~ Ps 27.1
It is Monday morning — but not just any Monday morning. The hullabaloo of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday is over. The donkey has been returned to its owner, the crowds have dispersed, the palms have been swept up. The dark rhythms of this week thrum quietly, inexorably; they will build in ominous intensity as the days go by. And in this liminal moment between triumph and suffering, we sing a quiet melody of confidence and trust. “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?” And again – the same and yet different – “The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?” There will be plenty to fear in the coming days of Holy Week: betrayal, heartbreak, violence, and the scandalous degradation and shame of Jesus’s death by crucifixion. And there is plenty for us to dread in our own lives, as our death or illness breaks our hearts, friends let us down at crucial moments, violence of word and deed intrudes into our schools and workplaces, shame over family troubles or personal failures dogs us. We are invited today to name the things that scare us – sometimes lurking in the shadows, sometimes right in front of us –and offer them to God. As our ancient poet iterates the threats to his well-being — devourers of the flesh, pursuing foes, a hostile army drawing up for battle — his fear melts into faith, and he joyfully affirms that security and salvation lie in God alone. As we prepare to face the horrors of the Cross and name our deepest fears, we, too, can be guided by the light of the Lord into the sanctuary of his presence.
Almighty and eternal God, Grant that I may place my trust in you in the midst of the many fears that assail me. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032524.cfm
Two different takes on Psalm 27: to hear the Morgan State University Choir sing “The Lord is My Light and My Salvation,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPDiTEIGeEo and to hear the Gesualdo Consort (Amsterdam) sing Jan Sweelinck’s “Le Seigneur est la clarté qui m’adresse,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqDw2gYgxdQ
