Reflections
The Enduring Power of the Psalms
Sister Carol Ann reflects on the enduring power of the Psalms to give voice to our struggles and call us toward hope, justice, and compassion.
I came to Mount St. Scholastica College as a young woman, a recent graduate of a small rural high school in Illinois. I was captivated by the sisters gathering each day to chant the Divine Office. I did not yet understand the rhythm or even all the words, but I was drawn to the quiet faithfulness of a community that paused to pray, day after day. Over time, I discovered that the Psalms are not simply ancient poetry. They are the prayers of every age, giving voice to joy and sorrow, fear and courage, lament and hope.
One psalm has become especially meaningful to me. Psalm 11 asks, “When the world falls apart, what can the good hope to do?” It is a question that echoes in our own day. As we witness deep polarization, the erosion of civil discourse, the suffering of those on the margins, and decisions by those in power that affect millions, it is easy to wonder where hope can be found.
Throughout Scripture, justice is measured by how the poor are treated, how the stranger is welcomed, how truth is spoken, and whether the dignity of every person is honored.
The psalm refuses both despair and complacency. It reminds us that “The Lord loves justice; the upright shall see God’s face.” Throughout Scripture, justice is measured by how the poor are treated, how the stranger is welcomed, how truth is spoken, and whether the dignity of every person is honored.
The Benedictine way follows Jesus and calls us not to withdraw from the world’s suffering but to enter a deeper silence that enables us to hear both the voice of God and the cries of our neighbors, to stand with those whose voices are too often ignored.
To pray the Psalms is to let them shape our lives. They call us to be people of courage, compassion, and steadfast hope, to speak truth with humility, to practice hospitality in a divided world, and to work for justice even when the foundations seem to tremble. Psalm 11 does not promise freedom from difficult times. It promises that God remains present within them. The One who loves justice continues to call us to be instruments of that justice, trusting that one day we shall behold the face of God.
