Shifting Psalms

Crash appeared in my study last night, clutching his breviary. "OK, tell me what week we're in tomorrow...I can't figure it out from here." He's flying without an Ordo these days, not so hard in Ordinary times, a bit more complex at the moments we move in and out of seasons. Weeks and days suddenly shift under your feet.

The psalms set out for Morning Prayer this morning are from Friday of Week III, the first of which is the classic penitential psalm. Before 9 am this morning I'd already sung Psalm 51 four times, twice to rehearse, once at Mass, once at Morning Prayer. Have mercy on me, God. A friend from the Long Retreat (who writes for the marvelous Jesuit Post, the young Jesuits' answer to Slate) posted a link this morning to this, the most hauntingly beautiful version of the Miserere Mei — Psalm 51 — I know. A few years ago I wrote this about Allegri's setting: "When I hear the almost inhuman treble obbligato reach its top note, I am for a moment, suspended above purgatory, held up only by God’s grace." You can read the rest here: Dangerous Mirrors of Grace.

Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of our salvation.