From Br. Joseph —
A preeminent theologian of the 20th century was once asked near the end of a long and distinguished career what was the most significant discovery or idea that greatly impacted his life. The great theologian’s response was simple and to the point, “God loves me.”
There are many ways to describe prayer, but one of my favorites is prayer as a love song. Scripture is a marvelous source for the words to our love song. Here is Psalm 139 slightly reworded for you to scratch the surface of understanding the implications of the great theologian’s words.
O Joseph, I have searched you and known you.
Joseph, I know when you sit down and when you rise up;
I discern your thoughts from far away.
I search out your path Joseph, and your lying down,
and am acquainted with all your ways.
Even before a word is on your tongue Joseph,
I know it completely.
I hem you in, behind and before,
and lay my hand upon you.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for you;
it is so high that you cannot attain it.Where can you go Joseph from my spirit?
Or where can you flee from my presence?
If you ascend to the sky, I am there;
if you make your bed in darkness, I am there.
If you take wings of the morning
and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there my hand shall lead you Joseph,
and my right hand of mercy shall hold you fast.
If you say, “Surly the darkness shall cover me,
and the light around me become night,”
even the darkness is not dark to me Joseph;
the night is as bright as the day,
for the darkness is as light to me.For it was I who formed your inward parts;
Joseph, I knitted you together in your mother’s womb,
You praise me,
for you are awesomely and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are my works;
that you know very well.
My eyes beheld your unformed substance.
In my book were written
all the days that were formed for you Joseph,
when none of them as yet existed.
Joseph, how weighty to you are my thoughts!
How vast is the sum of them!
You try to count them—
they are more than the grains of sand;
You come to the end—
You are still with me Joseph.
(Change the name to yours…)
Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us…