Psalm 37 - Labyrinths & An Extra Reflection on Waiting

The first week or so of March is a tough week or so for me. Two years ago this week, my friend Lisa died and nine years ago my friend Phil died. Both are dear people who made a transformative impact in my life and both are dear ones who I wish I could sit down and talk with about all that is going on. I miss them.

As I look back in my writings over the last few years, it is also a time that I find myself drawn especially to prayer labyrinths. They were a big part of Lisa and my friendship and in the way we worked together as colleagues. While I never traveled a labyrinth with Phil, it was Phil who really helped me to open up to the mystery aspects of faith which is something I experience in praying a labyrinth.

Three years ago, in the midst of her cancer treatments, Lisa lent her voice to an interactive Lenten practice of “virtually” praying several labyinths in the Cincinnati area. You can find those here:

Praying the Labyrinth

In addition, Lisa also provided her voice for an interactive Stations of the Cross that was based on the work of Lilly Lewin. We created this as Covid began to shut the world down. Here are the Stations of the Cross.

Stations of the Cross

But how do the labyrinths line up with the Psalms? Honestly, I don’t fully know yet. But I know that I am digging deep into the Psalms right now and also that this tends to be my labyrinth week. So let’s look at Psalm 37. It is a lengthy Psalm - 40 verses - and covers a lot of ground calling upon people to be patient and endure through difficulties, especially in dealing with the wicked (NRSV) / heedless (Fischer). The Psalm does feel like it keeps going back and round from “Trust in the Lord” and “Commit your way to the Lord” to talking about the characteristics of the heedless. But it also speaks of “the way” and our steps and traveling along the path of God. But it also brings in places where it speaks of being silent and being still. One verse around silence and stillness in Fischer’s translation was just beautiful to me:

The quiet ones will be the world’s lovers
Will delight in the fullness of peace.

There’s a lot here that sounds like praying a labyrinth. Lots of turns and backs. Lots of traveling around. But also a practice of trying to be silent and still and being fully present in the moment. Fischer ends his translation of this Psalm with this:

As for the upright - you are their salvation
Their strength in times of distress
You help them, rescue them, make them whole
Rescue them from heedlessness
Keep them safe
Because they are the ones
Who have trusted you
Who’ve given themselves fully over
To waiting with what is

Note that last line...with what is. Not “for what is” but “with.” As I read that, it feels like coming to the heart (center) of the labyrinth. Coming to the place that you’ve been journeying to reach and stopping and resting before beginning the journey back out.

So each day this week, I’m going to try to visit a different labyrinth and see how the upcoming Psalms speak with each.

Monday, I didn’t visit an “official” labyrinth but I did see one in a photo from my time with Scout in the morning. It was one that could only be seen with a slow shutter but yet there it is in the water on the right side of the photo.

A Second Moment to Share

This morning, there was another moment to share. If you haven’t followed

Arianne Braithwaite Lehn

’s work, you really ought to. Her Monday Manna reflections are wise, beautiful, and a wonderful gift. She also has written a book of blessings called Ash and Starlight. Her Monday Manna reflection today was on waiting.

Monday Manna

So here’s what happened…This morning, I had gotten up a bit later than normal and when I finished my run at the gym, I noticed that the clouds looked interesting. (Normally, I have time to get home and load Scout up and head back out. Not today). I had my camera with me in the car so I drove to the lake and when I got there, there wasn’t much to see - clouds at the horizon and a little bit of yellow on the horizon. My first thought was to head back home because there was a lot ahead in the day. However, I decided to just stay a bit longer and I pulled out my phone and saw Arianne’s post about waiting. So while I was waiting, I was blessed by her reflection on waiting. And I’m glad I waited beacuse when I finished reading, I looked up and saw this.

In addition, I saw this beautiful “shimmering” in the water reflecting the emerging colors…

I’m really glad I waited...

There’s some other really unique things that I saw this morning but I’ll save those for upcoming days.

Grace, Peace, Love, and Joy,
Ed

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PS - Doggo shadow time…