Praise in Paradox

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, June 4th, 2023:
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

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Daniel 
3
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R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers and blessed is your glorious and holy name. 

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, and to be extolled and highly glorified forever. 

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, and to be extolled and highly exalted forever. 

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim. 

R. Glory and praise for ever!

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, to be sung and glorified forever. 

R. Glory and praise for ever!

I have to regularly remind myself that there is always something to praise God for. You see, I am prone to an all-or-nothing perspective. All-or-nothing thinking is a cognitive distortion that sees things as this or that, either/or, or completely dichotomous. If things aren't going how I’d like or how I anticipated, I can easily be knocked off track. This can lead to avoidance or a negative mood when things are less than ideal.

For me, then, praising God can sometimes be difficult. I often find my capacity for gratitude and praise limited by the emotions I experience in relation to what’s going on around me. 

Today’s psalm from Daniel is clear that praise is due to God at all times. This call to praise God for His goodness shows how deficient all-or-nothing thinking actually is. God is still good and all worthy of my praise regardless of what is going on in my life. Is my ability to praise Him dependent on my circumstances aligning as I wish? Or can I receive the grace to praise Him despite, or even because of, what is happening today? In reality, I can both experience things that are not great, and still praise God at the same time. Such is a small, lived experience of the infamous Catholic “both/and” perspective, rightfully challenging my often dichotomous one.
 
Catholicism is widely known for this illuminating and puzzling “both/and” perspective. It can be awkwardly freeing and strangely stretch us beyond our comfort zone. Bishop Robert Barron explores this in his book Vibrant Paradoxes. He shares that Catholicism often holds tensive opposites together. Two truths can seem contrary, but remain true nonetheless. In fact, we often find that truth in its entirety is actually a conjunction or combination of truths, each of which would not exist fully in its completeness without the other.

For example, during times of grief, God’s grace can provide experiences of great joy to people while they are still sorrowful. And many have wrestled with things that require strong faith and the ability to exercise reason. I’m sure even the disciples pondered how Jesus could be fully human and fully divine. And, as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity this weekend, we consider the impossible reality that God is three in one. 

All these are places of holy tension. Bishop Barron gently reminds us that these spaces can be uncomfortable, so he advises us to have patience with this “both/and” approach. 

Amidst this, I find that praise is like a porthole that transports us deep into these places, allowing God to temper our hearts for the work He wants to do there. He knows these moments of tension are sacred spaces where we are ripe with immense potential for intense, almost super-charged growth. I do not always understand these “in between'' moments when they come, but I do know that some of the most tender, intimate, and life-giving praise I have been able to offer God has been when I have invited Him into the paradoxes of my life. When my heart releases His praises, I am led to surrender my limited perspectives and remember His goodness. There, I see everything I have to be grateful for.

Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our fathers, and blessed is Your glorious and holy name.     In all circumstances, in every moment, I will praise You forever! 




Michelynne Gomez

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