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What Am I That You Care for Me? Praying with the Psalms
English (translation)Original Italian
Paperback
First published December 1, 1990
About the author
Carlo Maria Martini
536 books34 followersCardinal Martini was an exegetical and theological scholar who has written more than 40 books, and was reputed to speak 11 languages.
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July 18, 2019
Carlo-Maria Martini, former Archbishop of Milan at the time of his death in 2012, is likely to be best remembered for a posthumously-published final interview. His insider assessment of the Catholic Church: “200 years out of date.” Speaking of “the tiredness of the Church,” he emphasized: “"Our culture has grown old, our churches are big and empty and the church bureaucracy rises up, our religious rites and the vestments we wear are pompous."
This flamboyant bow-out unfortunately obscures his accomplishments as a highly regarded scripture scholar and the author of dozens of well-received titles. In the book here reviewed, he gives a modern application to a few of the Psalms and then settles on an extended reflection built around the penitential Psalm 50 (RSV 51).
For instance, looking at the final words (“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”) of Psalm 150, the final Psalm, he ponders: “Every human being is made for the praise of God. Even those who at this moment are not thinking of it, even those who seem far from a state of praise, are in reality made for it.” (p. 73) Reflecting on the final verse (“Then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.”) of Psalm 50/51, Martini cuts to the chase: “There is no social, civic or political reconciliation without a change of heart, and there is no change of heart without repercussions in society in general.” (p. 122)
In an address to the Conference of Italian Bishops in 1997, Martini would echo the vision of this book by stating: “We must allow for the dynamic of prayer which arises from the Bible, including all its detours and setbacks. …[It is] always a very personal adventure, a lonely struggle with an angel, a journey with the Holy Spirit, where pastoral guidance could only indicate the general direction, disposition and model.”
This flamboyant bow-out unfortunately obscures his accomplishments as a highly regarded scripture scholar and the author of dozens of well-received titles. In the book here reviewed, he gives a modern application to a few of the Psalms and then settles on an extended reflection built around the penitential Psalm 50 (RSV 51).
For instance, looking at the final words (“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”) of Psalm 150, the final Psalm, he ponders: “Every human being is made for the praise of God. Even those who at this moment are not thinking of it, even those who seem far from a state of praise, are in reality made for it.” (p. 73) Reflecting on the final verse (“Then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.”) of Psalm 50/51, Martini cuts to the chase: “There is no social, civic or political reconciliation without a change of heart, and there is no change of heart without repercussions in society in general.” (p. 122)
In an address to the Conference of Italian Bishops in 1997, Martini would echo the vision of this book by stating: “We must allow for the dynamic of prayer which arises from the Bible, including all its detours and setbacks. …[It is] always a very personal adventure, a lonely struggle with an angel, a journey with the Holy Spirit, where pastoral guidance could only indicate the general direction, disposition and model.”
Displaying 1 of 1 review