March 19/Fourth Friday of Lent
Solemnity of St. Joseph
The steadfast love of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. ~ Ps 89.2
The other night my father was reminiscing about his grandfather, a genteel agnostic who nonetheless ferried his portly Aunt Georgie to church every Sunday, waiting in the car until the service was over and he could take her home. One Sunday morning, the stifling heat drove him into the church, where the rector delivered a particularly rousing sermon — and he never missed a Sunday after that. Such stories pass from generation to generation and in their telling and retelling, impart lessons about life (God can pull you in at any moment) and communicate a family’s ethos (my great-grandfather was dutiful and attentive to his elders — take note, children everywhere!). So, too, with the stories we tell about God. Today’s psalm prompts us to think about how successfully we are singing God’s steadfast love, particularly to the next generation — not just in words, but in how we live our lives. Do we set aside time for prayer? Do we go to church, in body or (until further notice) on Youtube? Do we spread the love of God not only by how we treat those close to us but by how we support those in need? We might reflect on whether we are teaching our children, and our children’s children, not just the rules and obligations of our faith, but its deep and abiding joy. Our expressions and experiences of faith may change and evolve over the generations, but the underlying theme is God’s ḥéséd, the steadfast love that supports and accompanies us all along the journey. To ground ourselves is that steadfast love and live it out every day of our lives, in ways large and small, is what it means to proclaim our faithfulness to the LORD, through all ages.
Eternal God, our Rock and our Savior, Grant that our words and actions may confirm, sustain, and express our faith in you, from generation to generation. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031921.cfm
To hear Mozart’s “Misericordias Domini,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5dGgwydwG4
