Lenten Psalm reflection, Friday, March 8^th – Psalm 51 by Mark Trudeau

Twenty-five years ago, I first went to St. Joseph’s Abby in Spencer MA.  I was going on retreat with my father and brothers.  When you arrive, you are shown to a single room they call a cell.  There it is very clearly set up for one.  You are told that there is no talking during the weekend retreat except during prayer times and Mass.  The weekends sole purpose is to give the retreatant time alone with our Lord in silence and in the great grace of the Sacraments.  I had been on many retreats before but that weekend changed my life, forever.

The silence was a great opportunity to pray deeply but it was the prayer time with the monks that changed everything.  I was introduced to The Liturgy of the Hours.  I will share more on this in another post be suffice it to say the Liturgy of the Hours focuses on praying the Psalms.

Have you ever wanted to pray but didn’t know what to say?  Have you felt deeply about something but were not sure how to articulate your thoughts?  If your answer is yes, pray the Psalms.  Praying the Psalms opened up all of that and made it possible for me to feel like I was communicating with our good and gracious Father in the way that felt right.  The Psalms said what I wanted to say but could not.  They provided me with continuity and expression that I could not find in my own intellect.  Pray the Psalms and feel the communion with the one who loved us first.

This Friday we read Psalm 51 and it is the beautiful sincerity of the penitent heart.  Perfect for a Friday morning (or anytime).  Read it again and again until these words become your words; until what you read comes from your heart, not your head.  A contrite heart; one that feels remorse and seeks atonement with the one who loves and shows mercy, is a heart ready to commune with God.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness …