Four notes

James Cathcart March 02, 2022 0 5

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Listen to this daily worship

Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17 (NRSVA)

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near—
2 a day of darkness and gloom,
    a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
    a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
    nor will be again after them
    in ages to come.

12 Yet even now, says the Lord,
    return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13     rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God,
    for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
    and relents from punishing.
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
    and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain-offering and a drink-offering
    for the Lord, your God?

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16     gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
    assemble the aged;
gather the children,
    even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
    and the bride her canopy.

17 Between the vestibule and the altar
    let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.
Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord,
    and do not make your heritage a mockery,
    a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
    “Where is their God?”’

A lone figure on a hilltop

opening a small bag

drawing out a trumpet

lifting it

pausing in the mist to draw breath.

Suddenly birds fills the sky with their wings

vibrating with everything.

Thunderclouds are split into fragments,

and boulders scatter

accelerating their descent to the sea.

One trumpet

four notes

repeated.

Notes of sorrow and hope

for human beings

who can’t find the words.

One note of heartache for all that has been missed

one note of heartbreak for all that has been broken

One rest for the heartbeat of loss

Two final notes ascending as a rent heart rises.

PRAYER:

Today, this Ash Wednesday, we come before you

reflecting on all that has been missed

all that has been broken

all that has been lost

all that we have failed to notice,

or didn’t manage to fix

or cannot be replaced.

We share the burden of our heavy hearts with you

sorrowfully, gratefully,

that they may rise again.

Amen.