March 12/First Tuesday of Lent The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. ~ Ps 34.18 In Angela’s Ashes, his searing and spirited memoir of his impoverished childhood in Ireland, Frank McCourt writes vividly about his boyish fear of confessing to a priest that he had listened to a story with the word “piss” in…
Song 5: If You Build It, Will They Come?
March 11/First Monday of Lent The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord…
Song 4: Because
March 9/Saturday after Ash Wednesday Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you,…
Song 3: Give It Up
March 8/Friday after Ash Wednesday For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. ~ Ps 51.18-19 When I was growing up, the impending arrival of Lent brought on great…
Song 2: Decisions, Decisions
March 7/Thursday after Ash Wednesday Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; But their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night. ~ Ps 1.1-2 Decisions, Decisions Not a day goes by when…
Song 1: iSin, or I–Thou?
March 6/Ash Wednesday Have mercy on me, God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. ~ Ps 51.3 iSin, or I—Thou? If there is any doubt that today we cross the threshold from Ordinary Time to the season of penitence, the opening verse of Psalm 51 from the Ash Wednesday liturgy puts it to…
Lenten Reflections
Dear Friends, Again this year, I will be offering Lenten reflections by email. They will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 6, and end on Holy Saturday, April 20. Entitled “Songs for Lent,” each daily reflection will include a Bible verse, a brief meditation, a concluding prayer, and a link to the daily lectionary readings. There will be no reflection offered…
Keeping Advent 23: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
December 24/Fourth Monday of Advent Christmas Eve “You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.” ~ Luke 1.76 We are on the cusp of Christmas. The last Advent calendar window has been opened; the four candles on the Advent wreath have been lit; all the verses…
Keeping Advent 22: Why Me?
December 23/Fourth Sunday of Advent Elizabeth . . . said, “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” ~ Luke 1.42 If there are any fashionable virtues these days — and sometimes it seems that the very concept of virtue is obsolete — we can be sure that humility is not among…
Keeping Advent 21: Devil’s Food
December 22/Third Saturday of Advent He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. ~ Luke 1.51 PEWSAGL. This nonsense word is the mnemonic, or memory device, that I created for the Seven Deadly Sins (Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony, Lust) during my high school study of Chaucer, and it still occupies space in my brain from…