Mourning ➡️ Gladness

Welcome to Word for the Week, the series in which I:

share my experience of hearing God’s Word in Mass last weekend,
explore what I believe the Lord is calling me to do about that Word, and
ask how this Word might impact your life, as well.

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Last Sunday, I was in the beautiful Sedona, Arizona. Red rock mountains surrounded the church where I went to visit for the weekend. It was a "high desert" experience of Arizona.

The final Mass of that day was in Spanish. My Word for the Week resonated. "¿Dónde está, muerte, tu victoria?"

(There are some Matt Maher song lyrics that I really like, with the line, "Oh, death, where is your sting?" I think that's the direct translation of this verse.)

For some reason, over the course of this week, I haven't been able to recall this word, however! Even when I've entered into specific times of prayer, I couldn't remember the passage.

Now that I'm sitting down to write this entry, it's dawning on me again. (I looked through the Spanish-language readings from last Sunday until I found it, in 1 Corinthians.)

It's incredible to experience how the Lord speaks! I see Providence in forgetting this word until now. Because it's been such a joyful week. I've sensed the victory of the Lord—who triumphs over death—in my life this week, even when I forgot the words of the victory chant.

Even with the start of Lent, it's been a joyous moment. A few days ago, I said, "Happy Ash Wednesday!" to a friend, and she said, "Do we say that?"

We do! In fact, Ash Wednesday of 2009 was the happiest day of my life: the day David proposed to me! We got engaged with ashes on our foreheads. And ever since, we've seen how God changes our "mourning into dancing." To quote Psalm 30:11 a bit further:

"...you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness."

What sackcloth of yours needs to be changed today? Is there something weighing you down, or dampening your joy? Maybe the Lord is calling you to let him transform it into gladness.

There is certainly much cause for mourning in our world today: death, destruction, and a more distinct general awareness of mortality. Yet, God is convicting my heart. He who made us from the dust, can turn our experiences of death into new life again.

Oh death, where is your sting?

Let's pray. Lord, come change our mourning into dancing. We give you permission to transform even the sadness of our life into joy in you. Give us courage to enter in your rest, Lord. Amen!

P.S. This topic reminds me of the theme of our We Should Pray podcast: "...prayer changes tragedy into comedy." So I'll invite you to listen to the latest episode of the show, or to watch it on YouTube!
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