"I pray for the desire to pray and meditate daily. I pray for patience, gentleness, tolerance, empathy and compassion. I pray to abstain from anxiety, shame, discouragement, anger and compulsive behaviour. I pray to know Jesus more intimately, love him more deeply, and follow him more closely. I pray to know Jesus as he knows me and others, as made in the image and likeness of God."
Psalm 146:7a-10
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign for ever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord!
1) "The Lord... sets free... opens... eyes... lifts up... loves... watches over... upholds..." "prisoners... the blind... who are bowed down... the righteous... strangers... the orphan and the widow..." "the wicked he brings to ruin;"
2) At the moment, as current events in the world unfold, I have a hard time hearing this passage. The wicked seem to be the beneficiaries of blessing and God is silent. But this is not what my soul believes. There is a depth in me that believes otherwise, even though my eyes tell me that the wicked triumph. And there is something of a choice to not be bowed down by what I witness in the world. And despite the horrible actions of others, I can choose differently. I will not abandon what is right for what is easy. And some days, I'm better at that than others. And may my wickedness be forgiven and not bring anyone to harm. May I be honest in the face of my wickedness and complicit-ness in the way things are. May I let go of the privilege I experience that my eyes may be opened.
3) What is the invitation in all this? To continue to do my best to choose what is right: set the prisoners free, open the eyes of the blind, lift of those who are bowed down, watch over strangers and uphold the orphan and the widow. To seek companionship in doing these things. To remember that my actions, every one of them, is intended to witness that I praise a loving, just, and compassionate God.
"Holy One, let our actions sing your praise. May our words and actions set the prisoners free, open the eyes of the blind, lift up those who are bowed down, watch over strangers and uphold orphans and widows. Send us allies and companions along the way and may you reign in our lives forever. Amen."
Breathprayer: "The Lord opens... the eyes of the blind."
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