Seeker

Lamentations is a Biblical book often neglected by UK Christians. I wonder why?  Is it because some of us are just too comfortable that we run away from cries of anguish. Is it because we have forgotten the Biblical injunction to mourn with those who mourn and weep with those who weep? One third of the Psalms are songs of lament. Other books of the Bible include laments, for example Job. Jesus cried out in anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross he quoted from Psalm 22 to express his sense of being abandoned by God. Lament runs all through the Bible, but Lamentations is its only book that is entirely in Lament form. Mostly we avoid it, given a choice. Yes, I have too. At best we might sometimes pluck out of its context Lamentations 2: 22 – 23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” You don’t know the 5 poems that are Lamentations’ 5 chapters? Help is at hand. ...

In yesterday's pre-scheduled post I wrote that I would tell you my reactions to the outcome of  the vote in General Synod on the women bishops measure.  On Tuesday I followed the debate on the live audio feed. When the vote count was announced I stormed out of my study, stamped into the kitchen, banged the pots and pans as I began to prepare supper while trying to tell my husband how I felt. Words did come rather loudly out of my mouth but really I felt speechless. I was devastated. Had I been wearing a clerical collar I might have symbolically cut it into little pieces.  This is what I wrote on my personal Facebook page that evening "It is a very long time since I have felt so upset and so angry and so very very sad - all at the same time."  Many others, men and women, inside and outside the church have experienced similar reactions. I was encouraged by the message posted by John Pritchard,  Bishop of Oxford on our diocesan website on Tuesday even...

I found this image by Daniel Drew (a self-portrait) a very powerful way to convey the despair and desolation expressed at the beginning of Psalm 22. It is the experience of someone in the agonizing depths of isolation, who cries out to God for help and finds none. As the Psalm progresses, the note of hope and trust in God begins to sound and turns into praise. This psalm is often assoicated with the crucifixion of Jesus because he quotes the opening verse while hanging on the cross, feeling totally abandoned by God. It is one of two psalms set for Morning Prayer today, but is often used on Good Friday - only a week ahead now. Here is a video with extracts from Psalm 22 using the King James Version. This post is the 38th in a series of daily Lenten reflections based on a Bible reading from the Common Worship Lectionary of the Church of England. This one is based on Psalm 22. Image by Daniel Drew from  here