Greetings friends,
This is Mark Gladman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighborhood monk in dogs.
Welcome once again as we continue this journey through the Songs of Ascents.
As always,
As we begin,
Just take a moment to become still.
Allow your body to settle into a comfortable position.
Take a nice slow deep breath in.
.
.
And out.
As you settle,
Just consciously bring your mind,
Your body,
And your heart fully into the present moment.
Becoming aware that your awakening to the presence of God that is always.
Been here.
In our last meditation,
Our pilgrimage began with honesty.
The Pilgrim admitted that the world was full of conflict and that their own heart longed for peace.
That was the first step.
Today the journey continues.
Pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem would often find themselves climbing steep and unfamiliar roads.
The hills could be beautiful,
But they could also be dangerous.
There was a lot of uncertainty and a lot of questions.
What waits beyond the next bend?
Will I have enough strength to make it?
Will I get there safely?
But these aren't questions of just ancient travelers.
They're questions of all of us pilgrims,
Questions of every heart.
There's seasons when life asks more of us than we feel able to give.
Moments when the future seems uncertain and relationships become fragile.
You know those times like when our health changes or work becomes overwhelming.
Or the path ahead sort of disappears into mist,
And it's in precisely that place.
That the pilgrim lifts their eyes.
Because beyond every mountain,
Beyond every uncertainty,
Beyond everything we can't yet see.
.
.
There is the faithful presence of God.
So listen now to the words of Psalm 121 and just see what words stand out.
And what settles with you.
As we hear this for the first time.
Psalm 121.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved.
He who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper.
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil.
He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in.
From this time on.
And forevermore.
I wonder what word has quietly stayed with you?
Keep on Helping.
Shade.
Going out?
Coming in.
There's one beautiful word that keeps repeating again and again,
And that word is keep.
The Lord will keep you,
Not watch from a distance or.
.
.
Occasionally notice that you're there,
But keep you.
The Hebrew word used here carries the sense of guarding,
Watching over,
Preserving with loving attention.
This God is not distracted,
Is not absent,
Isn't asleep.
And while our own attention is so often scattered,
The attention of God never wavers.
Every step of your journey,
Every joy,
Every fear,
Every unseen tear is held within the unwavering gaze of divine love.
Listen again,
And as you sit with the psalm,
Notice where your own eyes have been looking lately.
Psalm 121.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where will my hope come?
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved.
He who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper.
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil.
He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in.
From this time on.
And forevermore.
So where have your eyes been looking?
Have they been fixed on the size of the mountain?
The uncertainty of the future.
The endless list of responsibilities.
The disappointments you carry.
You'll notice the Pilgrim doesn't deny that the mountain's there,
They're just simply refusing to let the mountain become the final horizon.
And again and again,
Scripture invites us to lift up our eyes.
To see the reality that's there,
But also to remember that reality is larger than our fears.
There is one who made heaven and earth,
The one who called galaxies into being,
Is also attentive to your ordinary Tuesday afternoon.
The one who holds the stars also holds your life.
Maybe the deep invitation of this psalm isn't just to believe that God protects us,
But to trust that we are never travelling alone.
Every pilgrimage is made in company with the one who keeps us.
Let's listen one final time.
And maybe today you can hear these ancient words as a blessing that you can carry.
Psalm 121.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where will my hope come?
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved.
He who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper.
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil.
He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in.
From this time on.
And forevermore.
Let's pray.
Faithful God.
When the road feels uncertain,
Teach us to lift our eyes.
When fear captures our imagination,
Remind us that your love is greater.
Thank you for watching over us with perfect compassion.
Thank you that you neither sleep nor slumber.
You are present in our waking,
In our resting,
Present in our going out and in our coming home.
Keep us close to Christ today.
May we walk with quiet confidence because you are faithful.
Guard our hearts,
Steady our steps,
And wherever this pilgrimage leads,
May we discover that you have already gone before us,
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
And may grace,
Peace and love go with you and remain with you now and always.
Amen.
Our pilgrimage continues tomorrow.
Until then.
Bye for now.
