Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 17: Year 1
Morning, Psalms 30 and 32; Evening, Psalms 42 and 43;
1st Kings 12:1 to 20; James 5:7 to 12 and19 to 20; Mark 15:33 to 39:
“O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you restored me to health.” (Psalm 30:2)
One of my reflections that I have preached to my listeners for fifteen years now is that God’s ears hears tears. While this sentence may not be correct grammar, the message is timeless and universal. Everywhere in our Bible narratives when someone is crying, God, or an angel of God, appears whenever tears are rolling down cheeks. The two I most like to recall are Hagar as she pushes away her son Ishmael, son of Abraham, because she does not want to see him die; (Genesis 21: 15 to 17). And, Mary Magdalene, as she is broken down and crying outside the tomb of Jesus, who removed seven demons from her, giving her back to herself. Jesus was all she had and he was murdered: (John 20:10 to 15).
Crying does not depend on language, country of origin, ethnicity or any human label. God has fixed a way to connect with us when our spirits are at their lowest. It is sadness and/or sorrow that makes us cry. And when we cry, God wants to know. Crying is not dependent on faith or no faith. One can be a card-carrying atheist but if he or she cries, they are praying even without knowing it.
All crying is to God. The Psalmist continues, “I cried to you, O Lord; I pleaded with the Lord, saying, “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; O Lord, be my helper. You have turned my wailing into dancing; you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy. Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever.” (Psalm 30: 9 to 13)
I love how much God loves us. It truly does make me want to dance with joy. And who knows, maybe even make tears of joy. I think God will feel them too and be happy for us.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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