Rely

I lift up my eyes to the hills;
from where is my help to come?

My help comes from God,
the maker of heaven and earth.

-Psalm 121:1-2

The very familiar Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd, is almost always used at funerals. But I often also use Psalm 12l, because both psalms proclaim the protection of God in times of peril, and are particularly bolstering for those who are suffering.

It’s a relief that the lectionary builders included Psalm 121 this Sunday. It is a passage of assurance in the midst of the other very challenging passages. The readings this Sunday remind us that life is full of conflict and confusion, and that much of it is spent in struggle. However, in the midst of it all, like Psalm 121, God is there to turn to, rely on, and trust.

God will not let your foot be moved; the One who watches over you will not fall asleep.

Behold, the One who keeps watch over Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep;

The Holy One watches over you and is your shade at your right hand,

So that the sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

God shall preserve you from all evil, and is the One who shall keep you safe.

God shall watch over your going out and your coming in, from this time forth for evermore.

There is said to be a Chinese curse that says, “May you live in interesting times.” It seems to me that we do, in fact, live in such times. There is conflict, fear and hatred among us all over the world. There is much strife, disaster and sorrow. I heard a story on NPR yesterday about a congregation of embattled Christians in Syria. They conducted worship as usual, even as Turkish troops approached their region. When asked by a parishioner what they should do, the priest responded, “Rely on your faith.”

Our faith is powerful. During ‘interesting times’ the power of faith is often ridiculed and questioned. But through our faith we are given a glimpse a world, and a kingdom, that is based on love, not fear; justice, not personal power; healing, not strife. Rely on your faith.

This Sunday’s readings are HERE. Note that in Ordinary Time we are using the readings from “Track 2”