Lamentations 1:9b: Look, LORD, on my affliction, for the
enemy has triumphed.
Our last week of Lent begins with a funeral march. In
Lamentations we hear the painful confession that the once
lively city of Jerusalem is now a lonely widow. The imagery
is acute and heartbreaking. I am struck by the poet's
capacity to share the deep anguish he feels for his broken
home. Cries of grief reach to the heavens. Cheeks are
stained with tear tracks. Most of us have felt the
abandonment and isolation that the poet speaks of, but we
have trouble sharing with such honesty. We feel compelled
to journey alone with sturdy faith.
And yet today's lament reminds us that our felt pain must be
spoken pain. I have known this shared pain in the
community life of St. Barnabas. at funerals, Shrine Mont
retreats, and intimate conversations. Because people feel
safe and loved and honored, the lament of the heart is not
buried but spoken and shared. There is sadness and grief.
There are tear-stained cheeks. But there is also a deep
awareness of the enduring love of God. Whatever may befall
us on this journey with Jesus, God is present. In our sorrow
and our singing, in our pain and our passion, in the cross and
the empty tomb.. God is present.
Psalm 51:1-18(19-20); Lamentations 1:1-2, 6-12;
2 Corinthians 1:1-7; Mark 11:12-25
These Lenten meditations were written by the people
of St. Barnabas' for the people of St. Barnabas' as part
of our recognition of the 50th anniversary of the founding
of this church. We hope that you will find them helpful
in your own Lenten devotions.
