Lenten Reflections, Day 38

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Written by: Austin Bechtold

Reading: Psalms 148: 11-13

Psalm 148 is a hymn of praise, and in verses 11 to 14 the writer calls upon all the people of the earth to join into a heavenly choir complete with a horn, to praise the Lord and his chosen people. During this penitential season singing hymns of praise may seem unusual as we prepare for the death and resurrection of Christ. Considering the joy that we feel on Easter morning, maybe we should be singing hymns of praise during Lent in anticipation of the greatest gift our Lord could give us, that death cannot defeat us. But it is right that we should have these 40 days of introspection, penitence, and solemnity. We still live in a world that fosters war, starvation, and abuse of power; scourges that wound the Lord more sharply than the lash he suffered for us. We need to embrace the darkness of heart of this time to bring blinding illumination to the Day of Days that celebrates the empty tomb.

One of the great legacies shared with us by Africans who were brought here as slaves, is the celebration of death, the ultimate freedom over all their earthly woes. Their lives of abject servitude and degradation would be cast off and left in this world when they passed over to the promised land of heaven. In New Orleans jazz funerals are the ultimate celebration of that victory that begins with dirges and slow hymns as family and friends process to the cemetery. Once they "cut the body loose", when the deceased is buried, then upbeat, raucous music begins and onlookers, known as "the second line", dance and strut away in a celebration honoring the deceased.

We are all born slaves to sin but when we die we will leave the grasp of the oppressive master and will be free of him for all eternity. Jesus’s sacrifice as God, who became human and endured the pain and suffering of a most horrible mortal death so that we will ALL be free, is our benefactor.

Prayer
As the Psalmist wrote, "Let us praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven". Let us raise our voices and instruments, dance, and celebrate this most undeserved gift when Easter morning comes and we are all Christ the Savior’s "second line".

FAMILY MOMENT:

Easter is almost here! Today’s passage is a song of praise. What is praise? Why do we praise God? Are there other things in life that we praise? What should we spend the most time praising, and why? Have everyone create a way to praise – it could be with music, dance, words, poem, or prayer. Share your praises with the Lord – we have some much for which to be thankful!
God, you are GREAT and should be praised always! We love you, we thank you, and want to be with you always. You are AMAZING! ALLELUIA! AMEN.