I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the humble hear and rejoice.
Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord;
let us exalt his Name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me out of all my terror.
Look upon him and be radiant,
and let not your faces be ashamed.
I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me
and saved me from all my troubles.
- Psalm 34: 1-6
Psalm 34 calls us to rejoice, thank, and glory in the Lord, seeking the Lord, and the Lord answers the psalmist. It is a psalm of praise and sure hope. Yet haven’t we all had the experience of calling upon the Lord, and seemingly finding no answer? Or, at least not finding the answer we want. I know I have, especially in important matters, serious matters of life and death.
So many prayers seem simply to disappear. Prayers that my brother would be found alive following a sailing accident, prayers that my father would revive after a pedestrian accident, prayers that a friend or family member with cancer would be healed. I think that how we view the seeming silence of God in these circumstances ultimately shapes our understanding of the mystery of an eternal God in our life. Do I view these prayers as unanswered and unheard? Or, am I able to look beyond my personal desires to see if the perceived silence is indicative of something I may be missing? If I open my heart to gratitude and praise do I begin to hear a prayer answered, a prayer I may not even know I made?
When I remind my heart to see the miracle of steadfast love of a parent or a family member or a friend, I begin to remember that alongside my grief and pain I am compelled to bless the Lord for the joy of a life which brought laughter, light and love into my own life. My grief lives on in me, but it is tempered by my gratitude for a creator God through whom all things are ultimately made perfect in love.
It is an eternal, existential question, this one of love, loss and seemingly unanswered prayers. For some it is too much and their faith is lost. For me it has been impossible to ignore this mysterious tug at my heart, the voice that tells me to keep praying, but also to search more deeply, beyond my prayers, my agenda, and to remember to bless the Lord with a grateful heart.
Musical Reflection - O Bless the Lord My Soul - Godspell
