A tiny psalm is today’s friend to accompany us in the hours of the day—a little journey from morning to evening.  Along with all the psalms in the Lenten series, this is journey-prayer.  

The night security guards with their arms lifted up in joy remind me of a marathon winner’s hands held up as he or she crosses the finish line.  There is joy in being Number One in the race; now the winner can relax and rest after the victory.

So too with God’s people. Their hands are held high in prayer as they enter the Holy City, Jerusalem. But this is in celebration of what is coming, rather than what has ended—not as the winner of a race merely walking away from the finish line.  However, when Jesus crosses the finish line into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he’s getting near the end of his earthly life when his hands will be held high on the cross out of love for you and me.  Jesus’ suffering and dying there are not the end, but only the beginning of a whole new way of life for us—living in the Holy Spirit that Jesus breathed forth from the cross.

Psalm 134

Here is a sample of a seven-syllable breath-prayer
from today’s reading:
Lifting hands to holy place v. 2

For more information about this creative way to pray, see Bible Breaths.

This is the Fifth Week in Lent.
Spring in the north.  Year C
Wednesdays are dedicated to the Psalms

Seasons of Grace – A Calendar for 2019

Solar and Sacred Seasons
Some adjustments to make the church year simpler.

These Firestarters are from a new edition of The Bible Through the Seasons being developed for families with children. For the Firestarters in the original edition, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand Firestarters with you on your phone or tablet.  More information…