Chotard Doll

“Sing to [the Lord] a new song;
play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts.”
—Psalm 33 1-5

Friends,

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the ways we are called upon to sing new songs. Every situation in life is an opportunity, or even a demand, for us to experiment, to strike out in a new direction, a new song of praise to God.

In the passage from Luke today, Mary and Martha have to make some choices about the way they express thanksgiving and praise. Martha’s gift of preparing food is one way, Mary’s decision to listen to Jesus is another. There’s a right time for each, but each one can be a song of praise and thanksgiving if we see it that way.

St. Paul urges the Christians in Rome to let love be genuine, hate what is evil and hold fast to what is good. In our lives and our world there is always much that is evil, and our song of praise and thanksgiving might be an effort sometimes. But the choice for love is a choice to honor God, and can be a powerful antidote to evil.

And finally, I’ve been pondering with love my dear bother-in-law who died this week, and is now learning an altogether new song of praise to God, as is my sister. New occasions call forth new responsibilities and new opportunities for song.

But underneath all these decisions and choices, lies the melody given in the last verses from Psalm 33 (v:20-21). We sing because:

“Our soul waits for the Lord
he is our help and our shield.

Our heart is glad in him
because we trust his holy name.”

Faithfully,

—Chotard