Psalm Reflection: The Sixth Sunday of Easter (Cycle A)

“Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.” - Psalm 66

When was the last time you had a good cry? Like an ugly, emotional, snot everywhere kind of cry? When I hear the words “cry out,” that is what I think of: extreme emotions (usually negative) bursting out of me uncontrollably. It is something I typically do not want to do in front of other people, and that I try to hide or hold back when I feel it welling up.

Crying out to God with joy can sometimes be described the same way: an extreme emotion (this time positive) bursting out of us uncontrollably. It can also we something we neglect and choose not to do in front of other people out of a fear of judgment, so we hold it back when it wells up in us.

Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and the Bible reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:19: “Do not quench the Spirit.” When we hold back our joy, we are becoming obstacles to the Holy Spirit. We throw ice cold water on the Spirit’s fire of joy when we operate out of fear instead of faith. As we journey through this Easter season toward Pentecost, we must seek to live today and always as an Easter people — a Church of disciples who are open and collaborating with the Spirit.

Are you quenching the Spirit? The answer is obvious if we honestly answer one question: do you feel joyful? Joy is a contagious and positive symptom of a life lived in the Spirit. It can be scary to give permission for the uncontainable God to take over and work in our lives, but that is no reason to close the door to joy. If we do not understand the beauty of a sunset, we don’t close our eyes out of fear. We keep them open and let the beauty in.

We may not understand the Spirit completely, but He wants to completely change your life and give you an unending and unquenchable joy. So let Him in. We have a beautiful and ancient prayer in our tradition to make this invitation, and i encourage you to pray it openly every day this week:

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Allow the Holy Spirit to unleash joy in your life, and you will have the best and most positive “ugly cry” of praise and thanksgiving for our God. Cry out to Him in joy this week for all the good He has done, is doing and will do out of love for you.

We are praying for you.

See you in the Eucharist.