My Psalm ...by Sr. Paz

Last year for the Priory Spirituality Center's Prayer Practices Certificate program, I prepared the topic “About Psalms.” One question that came to my mind was, why are we singing and reciting the same psalms to God from more than two millennia ago over and over again? Our current understanding of the Universe and the whole of God’s creation is so different. Can we create new psalms? My relationship with God is more intimate. God is everywhere, not just in heaven. I cannot pray to God to kill any enemy, as if my enemy were not also a child of God, too.

We all are God’s creatures. How can I ask my father-mother to kill one of his/her children because I say so? This idea is unthinkable for me. I understand my true enemies are my own bias, my fears, my ignorance, my lack of courage to speak out against injustice. My enemy is my love of comfort, clean water at hand, food supplies all year around, a household with air conditioning in summer and heating for winter—without considering all my sisters and brothers all around the world, and in this very country, not having enough to eat and no shelter to protect them from the perils of the environment.

I was talking about this with Sister Monika, who is a musician and composer here at St. Placid Priory. I asked her why we don’t  write new psalms. Then last summer we spent a day at Brian and Anna’s house, and during that time Sister Monika wrote two psalms. At Christmas in 2024, Sister Monika gifted the Sisters with two psalms, inviting us to write our own psalm.

"Can I do that?" I asked myself. I am not a musician, I am not a singer, neither am I a composer.

Anyway, I thought, I can try. This is my first attempt:

    A Psalm of Hope

image from freepik.com

So they grow strong like trees
    Planted by streams of sweet water
    Trees that bear fruit in due season

Trees that share their fruits
    Freely with all their neighbors
    And have healing leaves that never fall

Everything they do prospers
    They welcome everyone to refresh in their shade
    and share their wealth and teachings with patience

They set an example with an upright way of life
    and are compassionate towards the weak

The just show their neighbors
    How to live in harmony
    No one loses their way

When the time of judgment comes
    Everyone will be united
    Sin will vanish

This is my hope, that all of us may see that we are children of the same Father-Mother God.