I was praying this psalm about six months ago when these lines jumped out at me as they never had before. What an astonishing proclamation of faith. Even in the face of war, the psalmist would continue to trust in the Lord. I could only ask myself, “Am I up to this?”

Whether or not we’ve already figured out what we’re “giving up” for Lent, we can always do a little more, can’t we?

The world is a hot mess right now. I am not sure there is a better way to say that. Everything feels upside down and unbelievable. Pope Francis declared a jubilee year of hope; now he’s praying for a world praying for him in a hospital bed.