Garment of Praise

I am totally bewildered, sickened and saddened by what I see and hear on the news reports. I’ve lived a good many years and I’ve never seen the like of people inflicting harm and heartbreak on other people. I ask, Why? What do the perpetrators accomplish? Does it give them a sense of power or delight? What twisted thoughts spur those terrible actions? In the shooting in Washington, D. C. yesterday, 13 lives were snatched violently from this earth. For what purpose? And the killer himself was killed. He shattered the lives of not only 13 people but his own as well as countless others of the families and friends of the victims. What a legacy to leave behind him!

Then, there are others who go through life in gentleness and kindness, preaching love, doing good, touching us with wise words or generous actions. These are the ones who are the children of God, the followers of Christ. They make the world a better place. Scripture talks about good and evil, right and wrong. St. Paul has lots of wonderful, trusted, true advice for those of us whose minds are burdened by what we hear and see of people carrying out deeds of evil. I particularly like the directions in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

In fact, reading all of Philippians 4:4-13 is a good idea. These are bedrock words, not of death, but of life.

Another verse even more ancient but just as trusted and true as those by St. Paul, comes from the Book of Isaiah, chapter 61, verse 3: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”

There’s a little chorus built on part of that verse, “The Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness.” I love those words.

St. Patrick of Ireland knew a lot about trouble and people who inflicted harm but he never lost his faith in God and continually went about helping others. One story about him is that he used the shamrock to explain the Trinity to his listeners. The following is a prayer attributed to St. Patrick.

As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen

–St. Patrick