Lent II. The Message of the Psalms. Ps.51: 2-3: wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. In this series of sermons I am using that rich biblical resource, the Psalms, to focus on the purpose and benefits that the season of Lent offers us. Psalm 51 is the fourth and probably the greatest and richest of David’s penitential psalms. The Psalms are a rich resource for prayer and meditation. They reflect all our moods and feelings, from joy to misery and anger. During Lent we have an opportunity to examine ourselves, to seek God’s forgiveness and prepare for the festival of Easter. I mentioned that psalms were songs or hymns sung by the Israelites going to the temple. Today I want to look at ourselves as individuals, as soloists in that choir, and look at our relationship to God, our conversation with God as we work through this penitential season. What are you giving up for Lent? We hear that so often. But Lent is not about giving up things, that is just an external sign, just about as useful as whipping yourself, to prove your unworthiness. Sorry, Da Vinci Code, that part of the script was absolute nonsense. God doesn’t want those outward shows. For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God thou will not despise. It is interesting that David or whoever the author of that psalm was, was writing such words, when half of the book of Leviticus lays down strict rules for temple sacrifices for sins, to make atonement . But of course, man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart. It’s our interior life, our thoughts that matter, one good reason is that thoughts lead to actions. Added to which there’s no point in giving up anything, if we’re just going back to our old ways, eating chocolates, ice creams, and living a life of self-indulgence afterwards. The sacrifice would be a waste of time. Lent is not a question of giving up, it’s a time of picking up, reflecting on our lives and behaviour, to others, to God and to ourselves. How do we do this? It needs us to make an effort. It doesn’t just happen automatically because you’ve been to church. Take time each day when you can reflect quietly. Turn off the radio or television, put the phone answering machine on, and find a quiet place. Then try to empty your mind. I know, there’s always work that needs to be done, shopping, writing letters, all these pop into your mind. If you must, write those jobs down, get them out of the way, and then clear some sacred space. Let God in. Perhaps read a psalm thoughtfully and let it speak to you. Then the task of self-examination. The first task is to recognise where we may have done wrong. Only then can we say sorry. Saying sorry, in other words, repentance, is the first stage. In this stage God invites us to look into that secret space and see what is cluttering it up, and preventing our direct line of communication to God, which is what God wants of us: V.6: Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward being: therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. By looking into ourselves we won’t waste time passing judgement on other people. Lay those secret thoughts, the mistakes we have made, unkindness, selfishness, before God, give them to Him. Then the cure begins. Then we can say, here I am, help me, heal me, cure me. It’s a continuing process. How do we say sorry in a practical sense? For some people saying sorry involves a service of reconciliation and healing, or the sacrament of confession and absolution. (Since the third century there has been argument as to whether confession and absolution is a sacrament or not. It was one of the earliest seven sacraments. It’s not in today’s list but perhaps we can put that argument aside for another time. Put it in the pending tray). Priests are authorised, as it says in the ordinal, in Christ’s name to absolve and declare the forgiveness of sins. And in all our church services there are prayers of penitence, or confessions, followed by absolution and forgiveness. So when we are together as a body of the church we share in asking for forgiveness. When we look at our thoughts and hearts in a quiet moment we will recognise God’s mercy and forgiveness. V.7: Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Incidentally purging with hyssop refers to the ritual cleansing of a leper, sprinkled with sacrificial blood seven times, using hyssop as a sprinkler. What happens then? When David was writing his psalm he didn’t want the purified souls to be miserable. Fill me with joy and gladness, he says. This is the reward for that self examination, for saying sorry, and changing. Something new emerges. God’s mercy and justice extends beyond all bounds. His love is beyond all bounds and we should reflect it in the way we treat other people. Three verses from Psalm 51 make an ideal prayer today and every day: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee. Amen. |