Grant me justice, O God;
defend me from a faithless people;
from the deceitful and unjust rescue me.
You, O God, are my strength.
Why then do you spurn me?
Why must I go about mourning,
with the enemy oppressing me?
Send your light and your fidelity,
that they may be my guide;
Let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place of your dwelling,
That I may come to the altar of God,
to God, my joy, my delight.
Then I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God.
Why are you downcast, my soul?
Why do you groan within me?
Wait for God, for I shall again praise him,
my savior and my God.
Psalms 43:1-5
I don’t know why the lengths of the psalms vary so much, but this is the shortest one we’ve shared so far. Yet, it seems short and to the point. We have the now familiar refrain of a psalmist struggling to find patience, but ever hopeful to find God’s blessings.
It seems that even as the overall messages seem to get a bit repetitive from day to day, there is always some nugget that jumps out at me. Today it is this: “Send your light and your fidelity, that they may be my guide.”
This is the perfect prayer for us to share on the first day of Lent. I have been wrestling a little bit with the selection of this year’s Lenten practice or sacrifice. I haven’t come upon that great idea that feels like it will take me to the path God wants for me. Maybe I’m putting a little too much pressure on this one decision, but that’s kind of how I operate!
So, forgive me while I brainstorm: I already adopted a fairly specific way of eating that has me in the best health I’ve enjoyed for some time, so there really isn’t anything there that I can tweak. I already have a morning prayer routine and a lunch-break prayer habit, so adding regular prayer wouldn’t be a big change.
Also, I’m excited to start the Best Lent Ever program with Dynamic Catholic. I’ll get a video and prayer every morning in my email, and I bought the accompanying prayer journal. I’m pretty sure that program last year is the reason I have this blog. Who knows what it might inspire this year?! (You can sign up for it here. I highly recommend it!)
I was reading a few posts this morning about making Lenten promises, and I found an interesting perspective. In today’s “Blessed is She” daily meditation, Megan Hjelmstad, one of the ladies who writes for that blog, shared this thought: “It’s easy to treat Lent like a 40-day self-improvement course or round two for forgotten New Year’s resolutions. …it’s easy to seek satisfaction first or give in to spiritual pride. …Lent, sisters, is about love. And love, in its purest form, requires sacrifice.” Isn’t that an interesting way to think about it?
Well, I’ll keep running all these ideas through my head – and my prayer journal. I’m sure God will send me the inspiration I need. Whatever we each choose, let’s make sure we find ways to show love this Lent, love for our families and our friends and especially love for Jesus. After all, He shared his love for us in the greatest sacrifice of all.
May you all have a blessed and inspirational season of Lent!