March 20/Fourth Friday of Lent
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. ~ Ps 34.19
Everywhere we look, we see the broken-hearted and the crushed in spirit; we ourselves are among them. There is the quotidian suffering that afflicts our lives — the loss of someone we love, the pain of a chronic illness, financial anxiety, personal conflict or estrangement. And then there is a world that seems to have exploded into unpredictability and uncertainty, with international wars and regional conflicts, ever-shifting economic indicators, natural disasters, and the looming threat of AI’s effects on our lives. There is plenty of heart-breaking and spirit-crushing to go around. We may well ask, “Where is God in all of this?” – a question the suffering psalmist asks early and often in his songs. Perhaps it will be comforting, in today’s verses, to be reminded that God has not gone missing; he is near at hand, walking through this present time with us. We may not understand the reasons for our suffering, nor can we predict the outcomes, but through it all, the LORD longs to be with us, to comfort us. Our challenge is to keep our hearts and spirits open to the inbreaking and indwelling of the God who loves us beyond measure. As Austin Farrer, the twentieth-century Anglican theologian, philosopher, and friend of C.S. Lewis noted, “The more you align yourself with God, the greater chance the Holy Spirit has of flowing into this situation and redeeming it in ways [none] of us can at present imagine.” No one knows how or when broken hearts will heal and crushed spirits revive; but we who believe in God know that we are not alone, and we trust that He will indeed redeem these trials and, in the words of Paul’s letter to the community of Ephesus, will “accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.”
Loving Lord, Be close to me in the painful times of my life and cradle me with your gentle care. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032026.cfm
To hear the Choir of St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh sing “Through All the Changing Scenes of Life,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBlAmxW063o&list=RDjBlAmxW063o&start_radio=1
