Recently I was talking to a person. I was particularly struck by the number of times this person mentioned the phrase “as I went before the Lord”. In hearing it, I had a feeling of the holy. As a Christian, consecrated person and a priest I became particularly interested to investigate further the biblical expression “before the Lord”.

The phrase “before the Lord” seems to be a very common one throughout the Bible. In fact it is found 289 times. Irrespective of the contexts and the subjects it is connected with, the meaning remains one: God’s presence is available at any time and in any place.

Among the many things that occur before God’s presence what really caught my eyes are the attitudes the Bible attaches with this presence. Before the Lord we are exhorted to be patient. “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Ps 37, 7). Prophet Zephaniah teaches us that we wait patiently before the Lord when we are silent before him. “Be silent before the Lord God!” (Zeph 1, 7). Psalm 95 proclaims that in front of the Lord’s presence we are moved to worship him. “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” (Psalm 95, 6).

Obviously true worship impels us to open our hearts to Him. Thus, Psalm 102 depicts the “prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord” (Psalm 102, 1). The Bible highly suggests that what really counts before God is our sincerity not justification of ourselves.

The book of Sirach opens our eyes to this truth when it admonishes us: “Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord” (Sir 7, 5). God knows us deeply as his worshippers. Sirach reiterates: “Their iniquities are not hidden from him, and all their sins are before the Lord” (Sir 17, 20). Before a God who knows all our transgressions the key attitude that will help us enter profoundly into his presence is humbling ourselves before Him as the letter of James exhorts us: “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you” (Jas 4, 10). And this humility is translated into our weeping, fasting and praying for mercy in His presence (Bar 1, 5).

Let us go before our Lord with patience, sincerity, worship, humility, weeping, fasting and repentance. In this way, our encounters with the Lord will effect the desired healing which our soul and spirit are crying for.

Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap

San Gwann