Ordinary Time | Lament Latin lamentari, from lamenta (plural)1. to express sorrow, mourning, or demonstrated regret.The Psalms teach us how to lament. In a culture that has long lost this posture, honesty, and transparency. The actions of lament are a part of a process. A process of owning regret. Not just personal regret, but on behalf of someone else, or a collective group.If we have any spiritual / moral compass whatsoever, we can and will lament numerous happenings. We lament damages from flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes... loss of life... mass shootings, racism, and any other acts of violence. To lament means there is an awareness of our surroundings. We aren’t blind, indifferent, or apathetic.The tragedies surrounding us require our sensitive and honest attention in worship. Injustices must be identified. Enemies must be named. Maybe we are seeing some affects from a lack of lamenting. We can look to our recent history to see manifestations of our hurt, pain, and divisions... Most of which reveals itself in ways of demonizing one another... causing deeper divides.There is an important distinction during the process and actions of lament: We express, acknowledge, confess: confess that we are in need. We are not gods... and that our path to peace and rightness, is God and God alone. To refocus from us to God leads us to focus on others as well. So, the positioning of hearts, minds, and even bodies are important. When we are in a constant state of resistance, worry, or frustration, it affects everything else around us. We can become known as “that person”... you know, the whiner, complainer, the glass is half full...Lament enables reframing: tearing down to rebuild with proper redemptive framework.Psalm 19.To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 19The heavens declare the glory of God,and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2Day to day pours out speech,and night to night reveals knowledge. 3There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.4Their voice goes out through all the earth,and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,5which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them,and there is nothing hidden from its heat.7The law of the Lord is perfect,reviving the soul;the testimony of the Lord is sure,making wise the simple; 8the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;9the fear of the Lord is clean,enduring forever;the rules of the Lord are true,and righteous altogether. 10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold;sweeter also than honeyand drippings of the honeycomb.11Moreover, by them is your servant warned;in keeping them there is great reward. 12Who can discern his errors?Declare me innocent from hidden faults.13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless,and innocent of great transgression. 14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.Psalm 19:14 is our opening prayer of our homilies. But, it can also be a prayer for how we live each day.Followers of Jesus don’t always do a very good job of living faithfully in a broken world, perhaps because we’re looking inward instead of other- ward (or upward). CS Lewis reminds us: “Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in, aim at earth and you will get neither.”
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