"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me."(Psalm 23:4)
I always say the 23rd Psalm when I officiate at funerals. When I have one at funeral home where there is no printed material in front of folks I invite them to recite it with me if they know it or to just enjoy the beauty of the words if it isn't familiar to them.
I have never had to say it by myself, there's always at least one if not more who can say Psalm 23 by heart. You just start it and it kicks in. As our culture becomes more unchurched these words start to fade from memory, yet there still remains the reality of our walks in valleys that feel like death. And people be very afraid and unsure that they will ever get out.
I would guess that this is a very lonely feeling indeed. I have found that I am not immune to life's valley periods, but what I've always sensed was that I was not alone in those times. And that with God walking with me, I could continue to walk until I come out on the other side.
Blessings,
Ed
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At this point in my life, I have "experienced" every one of the passages in that beloved psalm. It was a shock when I realized that the message was not that I would fear not death, but evil. Okay. In Liberia, I was told that the Bishop had his flock memorize that psalm, too. And as they faced the firing squad on the beach, the women asked if they could recite the verses. When they finished, the guns were turned away, and their lives were spared. Thank you for sharing your own experiences with this psalm, Father Zelley.
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