Many books have been written to encourage reflections during Advent and Lent, but few to guide us during Eastertide – this period between Easter and Pentecost. Our latest Whirlow blog wonders how we might celebrate this time, encouraging one another to become ‘living books’ of gratitude.
Today we are inspired by Psalm 126, one of the Songs of Ascents sung by pilgrims going to Jerusalem for the great festivals – a song of celebration for the restoration of Jerusalem after the exile:
“When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
‘The Lord has done great things for them.’
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.”
Pause for a moment to ponder on these words: does anything stand out? Maybe the different sounds, or the seasonal references; the image of a flowing river; the sowing of tears; or even the sheaves of wheat?
Can you recall a moment when your own mouth was ‘filled with laughter’? You may want to give thanks to God for this.
Perhaps the second verse brings to mind a sorrowful time? You may want to bring this to God.
How might you become more open to the ‘great things’ God wants to do for you today?
In looking backwards, the Psalmist offers us three points of thankfulness:
• For the great things which were done
• To the source of these great things – the Lord
• That things were done, not against us – but for us
Many of us look forward to Christmas during the season of Advent, and towards Easter in the season of Lent. But between these Celebrations, we can feel cut adrift, so during these days it might help us to look intentionally backwards – to review the meaningful moments each day, remembering these times with gratitude.
There are many books written to encourage reflections in Advent and Lent, but very few are currently available to aid the period between Easter and Pentecost. With this in mind, perhaps there is an opportunity to encourage one another to write our own books?
Pentecost Sunday this year is on 5th June – exactly forty days from 26th April. So, we might adopt the Psalmist’s thankful mindset and make a note of the ways in which we feel blessed each day. With practice, we will become more aware of the things that God generously gives us: the miracle of breathing; the ability to taste chocolate; the pleasure from reading words upon a page; the people we encounter each day – to name but a few!
Photo by Tatiana Rodriguez on Unsplash
Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said:
“God is love, God is joy, God is light, God is truth. The best way to show your gratitude to God and to people is to accept everything with joy.”
Below is a prayer that she prayed on a daily basis:
“Dear Jesus,
help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go
Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly
that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine
Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come
in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul
Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as you shine;
so to shine as to be a light to others
Amen”
It has been said that smiling and laughter can be infectious. Perhaps the same can be said about gratitude? Making Mother Teresa’s prayer our prayer over the next forty days could make such a difference. We could even find ourselves recorded in someone else’s book – as being a blessing to them!
You may also want to listen to this beautiful musical interpretation of Psalm 126 from Bifrost Arts with Molly Parden