This weekend the Psalm books will be available in the sacristy for anyone who has signed up for one. Although the class/prayer experience will not begin until Friday, February 23^rd, you should start reading the Psalms now. There are two ways of doing this that might work. The first is suggested by a Carmelite priest, Fr. Roland Murphy. This method involves reading each Psalm carefully, even if, and especially if, you have to struggle with it. If you chose this first method, pg. xxii of the introduction suggests Psalms for various times and moods.

The second method is to do what I did, read all 150 Psalms, and identify those that speak to you. When I did it, I gave the ones I liked rankings of 7,8, 9 or 10. Then immerse yourself in the ones you have chosen. As you read the Psalm carefully, pay attention to your inner heart response to the words. Linger on lines, images, or phrases that speak to you either positively or negatively. 

Pope John Paul II is quoted in the Introduction with this valuable insight, “It would be no less interesting to go over the Psalms and consider the various sentiments of the human heart expressed in them: joy, gratitude, thanksgiving, love, tenderness, enthusiasm, but also intense suffering, complaints, pleas for help and for justice, which sometimes lead to anger and imprecation. In the psalms the human being fully discovers himself.” (pg. x).

Which ever method you chose, get underneath the words to the human emotions and experiences and connect them to your own life.

Finally, we will spend the five sessions trying to enter the worldview of those ancient poets and prayers. There is a brief handout by Paulist Fr. Lawrence Boadt that explains the different kinds of psalms. Look for a category that interests you and try it out.