During Lent, one of eight refrains is chosen to praise Our Lord for the Gospel acclamation as a substitute for the traditional Alleluia. The Lenten refrain serves the same purpose as the Alleluia as it accompanies the procession of the minister and is sung while the faithful are standing, awaiting the Gospel.
The acclamation of one such refrain is “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, King of Endless Glory!” I find that this hymn randomly bounces around in my mind, along with other random songs from childhood or hymns from Church. (“One Bread, One Body,” anyone?)
Counting our daily glories
I began taking notice of this Lenten acclamation as it bounced around my brain on a particularly difficult and emotionally exhausting day. It was a day of a very fussy and teething one-year-old. There were difficult conversations at work and feelings of professional loneliness. My husband was also away for work on a difficult rotation. It was a day where the smallest inconvenience put me on edge.
It was also one of those days where the smallest win, or glory, was enough to get me through. My son taking an extra long nap was the win for that day. Later reflection revealed that this win was a gift granted directly by God: the Lord knew I needed that win and took care to grant it. As the king of glories, he granted me a small one, taking care of my son and of my soul.
These daily wins belong to God alone. He is the king of my family’s days. Without him, a small victory like a long nap or a success at work do not mean nearly as much. Without the knowledge that he, Mother Mary, and the community of saints are always watching over and interceding for us, what does any of this mean? What is any of it for? As Catholics, we know that our world is constantly interacting with the spiritual world. I like to imagine the hands of an angel touching my son’s eyes as he drifts off to a restful sleep, knowing that his mother could use a short break.
As we prepare for Lent, a time of reflection and darkness, let us position ourselves to give praise to the Lord for all he does for us.
Turn to the King of Endless Glory
The title “King of Endless Glory” also gives a new perspective on the worldly anxiety of our daily lives. The contentious political climate, news of endless doom and gloom, and volatile economic situations are disturbing to the heart and mind. It is prudent to limit one’s intake of this information, surely, but it cannot always be ignored. Still, we need not excessively despair or fear, for God has already won. Like a soldier on a battlefield, I cannot see the larger picture. God is the general and sees all the small battles being waged; he knows that although there are always losses, the war has already been won, for he has conquered death. It is devastating to hear of widespread death and Christian persecution, even here in our homeland, but we must rest assured in the King of Endless Glory.
We need not excessively despair or fear, for God has already won.
As we prepare for Lent, a time of reflection and darkness, let us position ourselves to give praise to the Lord for all he does for us. We will reflect on the dark night of our souls for forty days, knowing that the Son will rise on Easter morning.