Saturday, March 07, 2020
Old Testament: Deuteronomy 26:16–19
Gospel: Matthew 5:43–48
Psalm 119:1–8
The theme for today’s lections is the law. The Old Testament lection recognizes the covenant established between the Lord and his people Israel who are commanded to observe the law. The psalm also carries forth this theme. This is the initial portion of Psalm 119, the longest psalm in scripture. It is an acrostic psalm. Each of its twenty-two stanzas of eight verses each begins with a Hebrew letter (here seen at the beginning of the Latin incipit for the psalm, in this case the Hebrew letter, aleph). According to tradition, David used this psalm to teach young Solomon the Hebrew alphabet, both a literal alphabet and the alphabet of walking spiritually.
I fondly recall this psalm’s use in Orthodox liturgy. It is used at every orthodox burial liturgy, and, more importantly, at the burial liturgy used for Christ himself at Holy Saturday Matins observed on Holy Friday Evening (the odd time used for this monastic hour reflects the universe tossed into chaos by the Passion of Our Savior). It is chanted as the body of the church stands around in adoration of the epitaphion (burial shroud) draped over his catafalque. Additionally, between each psalm verse is chanted the Lamentations of Mary. These poetic lines, with soul wrenching tones to match in Russian churches, profoundly express her anguish over the loss of her son. This is for me the most powerful liturgy of the Orthodox liturgical year.
Thus Christ in his self-emptying (kenosis), even in death, participates fully with the humanity he came to know in its flesh and save. Humanity, reciprocally, is elevated, in sharing its earthly burial liturgy with this Person of the Trinity. Thus the choice of the this lection in Lent is apropos as we journey toward the great events of Holy Week and The Resurrection.
Both the psalm and the Old Testament lection make use of the phrase, “with all their hearts.” The proper collect repeats this phrase which fits the theme of the law here. This also has meaning for me particularly this year. I am engaged in a new prayer practice in anticipation of the discernment process, and as a consequence of thinking theologically as a part of my EfM ministry. I feel most blessed to have been called to EfM and Catechumenate ministries. With a full heart I have embraced this process. And I have been wonderfully embraced by all at our EfM table as we journey through the year. With a full heart, just the other week, I drove home, using the newly opened decks of Interstate 20/59. The wideness of these new constructions astounded me. I also thought how astounded I was at the wideness of God’s mercy, as the hymn proclaims. This mercy has enfolded me since the time of my father’s passing. The new life begun since then, with new vocation, new ministries, and new companionship, continues.
A full heart. And one that is thankful. Near the close of the psalm, the psalmist speaks of an unfeigned heart. I recall this same redolent term in the General Thanksgiving near the end of Rite One Morning and Evening Prayer. This is one of my favorite prayers in the Book of Common Prayer. I pray I continue in these prayers and thankfulness through Lent and beyond.
Ken Floyd
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