Psalm 137:6

The traditional recited responsorial psalm for today's Catholic masses is Psalm 137. The response, in particular, is from verse 6:

"Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!"

I have blogged about physical and spiritual well-being an enormous amount since August 2010. As everyone who reads this probably knows, I have chosen to write every day during Lent this year.

So, why do I find this verse interesting? Especially, given the fact that the mass I go to is one at which we play a responsorial song that is definitely not the same most weeks as the exact verse that is recited.

Well, I think in this case it is quite simple.  I always try to focus on the spiritual aspects of my life. Sometimes I focus more on the physical. Sometimes I focus mostly on the emotional.  But I always try to make it clear that I remember that the emotional and physical ultimately tie back to the spiritual.

I can run all I want--but it is nothing without the recognition that I am using my gift from God and I need to keep that in mind. If I forget that--I shouldn't be writing this.

I can volunteer in any role I want as much as I want. Just the same--if I forget that I share my gifts from God with other people who are gifts from God and that all this fits together in a very special way guided by God, then I shouldn't bother writing.

I can work as hard as I want. If I forget that my capacity to do work and my capacity to be helpful to others--which is one of the things that I see as the most important outcome of any work I do--then I should not be writing.

I can spend as much time as I want with my children. Cooking. Watching their activities. Anything else that may be involved. If I ever forget that this is purely a gift from God, then I should not be writing.

If I use Psalm 137:6 as a guide for everything I write about and everything I do in life, then my life should come a step closer to God each day.  With each activity.  With each thing I write.  Going back to yesterday's entry--it will help me to revela the full truth and not just is what is in the reflection.  

Reflections

Back on My Feet is a great organization that tries to help people in recovery programs, residential job training and placement programs, and homeless shelters to get "back on their feet" by using running (e.g., sticking with something, setting goals, and having a sense of accomplishment) as an example for getting their lives together in general.  Many residents of five facilities in Baltimore and other facilites around the country participate.  Many non-residents from communities come to run with the residents.

An interesting struggle that some groups have is how to make sure that everyone has someone to run with and, in particular, that every resident or at least every small group of residents has someone from the community with whom to run--at a mutually agreeable distance and pace.

Yesterday, the team I am on exchanged some emails grappling with this issue for our team.  I suggested something that surprised me.  I reflect all the time in my blog.  I reflect on all sorts of things including my motivation for running and my motivation for sharing my running.  If I need to grapple with my personal struggles over matters like this one (e.g., how to fit the principles of this organization together with my own need for training) I have an outlet.

What I suggested that surprised me is that maybe other non-residential members need an outlet as well.  Even with not everyone having a religious focus.  Even with those who have a religious focus not all having the same focus.   Reflection doesn't require religion--although it can be guided by that.  Reflection simply requires looking inward.  Exploring our motivations.  Comparing motivations now to when each person involved started the volunteer activity.  And pondering how (or even whether ) our own motivations and the organization's needs and purposes fit together.  It is probably something that volunteers in nearly every organization should do once in a while.  It will be interesting to see whether this organization finds it feasible and useful moving ahead.  

I was most surprised that I suggested this type of thing.  Not trying to push my ideas about how to run my life on others.  Just trying to share with others things that I think work.