Independence Day
Dear Sutton and Savannah,
Rebellion takes on so many forms. It comes in the posters we make, the clothes we wear, the tea we throw in the Boston Harbor, the marches we walk, the jobs we quit or the rules we break. Rebellion from your family of origin may be the hardest and most important of all. To be your best, and to make the world a better place, I hope you break a few rules and learn to rebel well.
-Dad
Inside Out Lectionary Letters
Year A Proper 9 - (Texts, Art, Hymns)
Readings for Sunday, July 5, 2026
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 / Psalm 45:10-17 / Romans 7:15-25a / Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Summary of Psalm 45:10-17
Psalm 45 is a royal wedding song. It may have been composed for a specific wedding, or for any wedding that was part of the line of kings that followed in King David's tradition. Generations later it would be used as a way to describe the Messiah (Hebrews 1). To the modern ear it may sound misogynistic, which makes sense given the ancient patriarchal context.
Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul
Every journey of the soul eventually arrives at the doorway of individuation. This is the movement from what we have psychologically inherited to the place where we feel differentiated, or different, from that in which we have been raised or taught. We often think of differentiating ourselves from our family of origin, but we can also talk about individuating from our occupational culture, our political affiliation, or the norms of our friendship group.
In this psalm, the writer invites us to come out from under the protection of our family of origin and step into our own unique character and destiny. It is not a call to ignore the past, but rather to allow the beauty of our own ideas, perspective, gifts and calling to emerge and shape our future. We honor what formed us without allowing it to define us. The fruitfulness of this movement is on par with the riches of the most adorned city, and worthy of the courts of the most powerful kings.
Living into the unique nature of our soul can be a source of joy and gladness. However, there is inevitable pain in separating from what has been. And conflict often ensues as one voices ideas and opinions that push against the status quo. But that is the path of growth and change. And then, the other parts of the self are provided with opportunities to contribute to the expression of the soul.
We inherit beliefs, fears, loyalties and prejudices. Individuation does not mean that they are all bad, but it means they are all up for evaluation and examination. The old self is left behind, and even the parts that may be retained are viewed in a different way, because the soul is emerging with new eyes. The stabilizing part offers wisdom and continuity. The transformer side imagines new possibilities. The initiating energy provides the courage to leave familiar ground. The responder voice holds compassion for those who remain behind. Even the shadow contributes by revealing where fear still governs us. The emerging soul (the bride) moves away from the psychological house that has formed it, toward the place of integration (the inner palace).