Praying the Psalms ... Mirror of a Person's Soul       In continuing our series on praying the Psalms of the Bible, we have mentioned St. Athanasius’ Letter to Marcellinus    (available online http://athanasius.com/psalms/aletterm.htm ), written in the first half of the Fourth Century. That Letter shows us how Christians used the Psalter, both privately as well as liturgically in worship.       St. Athanasius writes in that letter that the Psalms are a mirror of a person’s soul. “This peculiar marvel [is] that within [the Psalms] are represented and portrayed, in all their great variety, the movements of the human soul. It is like a picture in which you see yourself portrayed, and seeing, may understand and consequently form yourself upon the pattern given.”       “In the Psalms,” he says, “you learn about yourself” and “learn the way to remedy your ill.” And this is all done by the Holy Spirit...

Praying the Psalms ... Christ in the Psalms      In continuing our series on praying the Psalms of the Bible, we’ve mentioned that the Psalms speak of Christ prophetically, as Jesus also said of himself (Lk 24:44). St. Athanasius’ early Fourth Century “Letter to Marcellinus” (available online http://athanasius.com/psalms/aletterm.htm ), gives us some specifics:       “Of the coming of the Savior and how, although He is God, He yet should dwell among us, Psalm 50 says, ‘God shall come openly, even our God, and He shall not keep silence;’ and in Psalm 118 we read, ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the House of the Lord. God is the Lord, and He has given us light.’ That He Who comes is Himself the Father's Word, Psalm 107 thus sings, ‘He sent His Word and healed them, and rescued them out of all their distresses.’ For the God Who comes is this self-same Word Whom the Father sends, and of this Word Who i...

Praying the Psalms ... the Divine Office Last week we began looking at the Psalms in the Bible as a way to pray always (Lk 18:1; 21:36; I Thes 5:17-18; Eph 6:18). Before our life might come to be continuous prayer, we need to make the effort to pray regularly. A time of prayer each day, with some Scripture reading and meditation, is a minimum for every Christian. Adding a Psalm to read and pray would join us to the universal practice of Hebrews, Jews and Christians since the Psalms were composed. In Jesus’ time, liturgical prayer accompanied the morning (3rd hour or 9 AM) and evening (9th hour or 6 PM) sacrifices (Ex 29:38-39) at the Temple in Jerusalem, which the Apostles continued to attend (e.g., Ac 3:1). In the synagogues, there is some but tentative evidence of regular prayer (which is part of Jewish practice today). In the early Church, there is clear evidence of the widespread practice of praying the Psalms in church liturgically as Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer. Over th...

Praying the Psalms ... with Music The Lord Jesus urges us to ask, seek, and knock (Lk 11:5-10), to pray always and not to lose heart (Lk 18:1), and to watch at all times and pray (Lk 21:36). St. Paul also says to “pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances” (I Thes 5:17-18), and to “pray at all times in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18). When we abide in Christ through the receiving His Body and Blood (the Eucharist; Jn 6:56), through bearing fruit (Jn 15:4-5), and by keeping His commandments (Jn 15:10), then we not only share in Jesus’ joy (Jn 15:11; 17:13) and in the same love Jesus and the Father share (Jn 15:10; 17:10-11, 21-23, 26), but Jesus’ words abide in us (Jn 15:7; 17:14), our prayer becomes His prayer (Jn 15:7, 16; 16:26-27), His prayer becomes our prayer (Jn 15:16; 16:25-27). So how do we grow in this abiding, this prayer, so that we might more deeply share in the loving communion and joy of the Blessed Trinity? One very good way is by praying the Psalms. Not just readi...

Abandonment to Divine Providence (Two)       Last week we considered a great Christian classic, “Abandonment to Divine Providence,” by Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751). In the passage below de Caussade speaks of learning to see God’s hand and His will in the everyday events of our ordinary lives, knowing that God is “speaking” to us, leading us, guiding us continually, moment by moment. Sometimes we just need to have the eyes and ears to see and hear (Mt 11:15).       “You speak, Lord, to each individual soul by the circumstances occurring at every moment of life. Instead, however, of hearing Your voice in these events, and receiving with awe what is obscure and mysterious in these Your words [i.e., the circumstances], men see in their only the outward aspect, or chance, or the caprice of others, and censure everything. They would like to add, or diminish, or reform, and to allow themselves absolute liberty to commit any exc...

Abandonment to Divine Providence (One)       We recently considered the great Christian classic, “Of The Imitation of Christ,” by Thomas À Kempis, which is available for free online and for purchase. Another wonderful Christian classic (also available online for free, and for purchase) is “Abandonment to Divine Providence” by Jean-Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751). The book is comprised of letters Fr. de Caussade wrote to French Visitation nuns in the town of Nancy, after he had been their spiritual director for about 7 years total starting in 1729.       When de Caussade uses the term “abandonment,” he means in the sense of trustful surrender to the One you love and One you know loves you totally: God. Therefore, his words are a spiritual guide for one wanting to come closer to God, to know His love more, and to share intimate communion with Him.       It is an excellent book to reach for when you are suffe...

Of the Imitation of Christ (Three)       For the last two weeks we have considered the book, Of The Imitation of Christ , by Thomas À Kempis, and read short excerpts. It is too good of a devotional classic to move on from too soon, so we will consider another excerpt today from a chapter called (in a modern translation), “Of Intimate Friendship with Jesus.”