psalm 88 - why o lord? - 26th week wednesday 2016

Today the church continues to read to us Psalm 88 which I referred to yesterday as the saddest, the most dreary, and even the most pessimistic psalm.  Today we are now on the second part of the psalm when the psalmist says “I, O LORD, cry out to you; with my morning prayer I wait upon you. Why, O LORD, do you reject me; why hide from me your face?” 

St. John of the Cross wrote about what he calls in spiritual life as the dark night of the soul.  It is a time in our relationship with God when we can no longer sense his presence, we can no longer feel that he is listening to us and even much less that he is answering our prayers.  There are no more consolations even in our prayer or in our mass.  The dark night happens when we feel that God is no longer there.  This is also what the psalmist feels. 

But this is not punishment or abandonment.  In fact in the dark night God is inviting us to grow in our faith. 

We need to grow in our relationship with God.  We need for example to outgrow that relationship where we pray only because we have something to ask from God.  Or we equate God’s presence only with the good that happens in our life, when we equate God’s approval with joy, with happiness or with a problem free life.  We need to outgrow that kind of relationship with God.  It is the same in our own human family.  What kind of father are you when your children treat you as somebody they will only approach because they needed something?  What kind of children are we when we only love and remember our parents in times of happiness?  We need to grow in our relationship in our family.  And so also with God.

What is beautiful about this psalm is the fact that despite how he feels about God, despite how he sees God, he never stops talking to God.  He keeps on talking, he keeps on praying even when his words are already somewhat insulting to God.

That too is important in the dark night.  Just keep on praying even when you feel nothing.  Just keep on praying even if it seems there is no answer.  Just keep on praying even when you feel God has abandoned you.

Don’t be follower just in the good times as the gospel today implies or in times when you are free or in times when you feel it’s easy and have the time and resources to spare.  Follow Jesus all the way even if at times we can no longer see where he is leading us.  Yes it is dark at times but stretch out your hands and allow Jesus to guide you by the hand.