Psalm Reflection: The Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

“I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.” - Psalm 145

It is so much easier in the beginning.

In any relationship the ability to invest time, energy and stay positive usually seems effortless as it is beginning and growing. We call it the “butterflies” — whether it is a close friend, a partner, or our relationship with God, there is a level of energy, momentum an excitement in the “honeymoon” phase of most things in life, including a new relationship, job, home, or life change.

The hard part comes when the butterflies fade.

That is when great friendships can “fall out of touch.”

That is when relationships can end in bitterness and fighting.

That is when vibrant marriages can end in divorce.

That is when we suddenly do not “feel” God anymore.

What do we do when the butterflies and the initially effortless passion fade away?

We praise.

What do we do when the rug gets pulled out from under us and our plans crumble?

We praise.

What do we do in the face of loss, grief and suffering?

We praise.

It is easy to praise God when everything is going well, but the Christian life is always a battle: sometimes we are feeling more victorious and sometimes we are wanting to retreat, but it is always a battle.

Praising God in the lows of life can seem like the last thing we want to do, but it is a recognition that God is with us in them. It reminds us that the same God who has given us everything good can do so again when it feels like there is no good left and all is lost.

I have a good friend who served some time as a missionary living in community with other people in another country. She got incredibly close to everyone in her missionary community; they lived, served and prayed together every day. 

Once day, one of her missionary brothers went to bed and simply never woke up. There were no indications he was ill or anything was wrong, he just died. The rest of the group was obviously at a loss and grieving. In that moment of despair, it would have been so easy to question God, and close themselves off from Him. Instead, the leader of their community gathered them all in the chapel, and they prayed and sang songs of praises to God together. They forced themselves to remember the good God had done in and through their brother who died, they sought to praise God for the life he led, and they prayed for the repose of his soul.

When the Psalmist writes “I will praise your name forever,” that includes both the best and worst moment of our lives. 

When we experience loss, pain or suffering, we go to those in our lives who love us for support. We are acknowledging both the gift and need we have of their presence in our most difficult moments. In the same way, we turn to Jesus in our moments of darkness, because we know he is the light of the world who came to shine in darkness (John 1:5, 8:12). We praise Him because we need Him, and we will never stop needing Him.

So, whatever happens this week, praise. 

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt