Pentecost +17 Sunday – C2

Pentecost +17 Sunday – C2

Years C
Psalm 79:1-9 or Psalm 113

Laments are such fun. They have a way of reminding us that our current mountain is nothing but a molehill and we might as give up lamenting. They can also plumb the depths of despair and still find G*D as ground under the deepest hole.

It is not so much each line here, but the general progression that is so helpful.

We move from an "ouch" to a "blame" to "plea" to "trusting praise". That's a lot of work to be done in nine short verses. Here attend to the flow rather than get hung up on a particular detail. This reflects well our roller-coaster ride through any disappointment or grief. Just slap your latest difficulty in here and see how it works.

= = = = = = =

we fight our enemies
that's just what we do
without a thought
we fight

sometimes we fight
with our enemies
against a larger enemy
threatening us both

were we both
to be in touch with our laments
we might find that commonality
long before we otherwise do

under all our differences
we are joined hip and thigh
by our lamentation
a real but far off hymn of new creation

let's not posture strength
but wail our deep woe
to connect below negotiation
all the way to soul