Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Psalm for Sunday, May 20, 2012 (Ascension)



 Reflections
 
Psalm 47:  2-3, 6-7, 8-9

“God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy ....”
Our God is an awesome God.
This week we celebrate
the Ascension of our Lord,
who was taken up to heaven
to be seated at the right hand of the Father,
far above every principality,
with authority over every nation,
as our 2nd reading tells us.
With such an awesome God on his throne,
what hope do we have as mere human beings
that we will even be able to approach Him?
How far above us can this Jesus be,
if he is taken up to heaven
and has all things put beneath his feet ?

“Our God is an awesome God,
he reigns with power and love.”
Power is often associated with arrogance
and brutal treatment, but our God
uses his power to work miracles,
and bring about healing. 
And his power is expressed by his love,
by which we are raised up with Jesus.

Fortunately, for us men, Jesus has a plan for us –
we can feel his power and presence within us,
so long as we repent from our sins and believe in Him.
He is risen, and is seated at the right hand
of the Father in heaven.
Knowing this, we are the ones who shout with joy,
and we praise Him,
not only because he is risen Lord,
but because he leaves with us
a way to share in His divinity
(through the holy Spirit which he gives to us).

That same promise Jesus made to his disciples
is available to us – the promise of the Father,
the gift of the holy Spirit.
After Jesus' Ascension, the disciples begin
their active ministry empowered by the holy Spirit.
That same power is given to us
so long as we believe – we too are called to ministry.
And for that we are inspired to praise the Lord;
as the psalmist says, “Clap your hands,
shout to God with cries of gladness ... sing praise to God!”

Just as Jesus instructed the Apostles,
through the Holy Spirit,
so too, will he instruct us.
“For the Lord, the Most High, inspires awe.”
That same power that enabled the
Disciples to drive out demons
is available to us, so long as we believe.
Just as the Lord worked with the Apostles,
so too will he accompany us,
as we are called to go into the world
and proclaim the Gospel.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Over and over our psalmist calls for us
to shout to God and sing praise to God, as God mounts his throne.  
Tell of how you personally praise the Lord with 'cries of gladness.'

2.   The verses of our psalm for this Ascension Sunday
place our Lord in his kingship and on his throne,
and make it seem that God is so far above us
that we may not be able to approach Him easily.  
How do you handle this apparent dilemma?  
How do you approach our Lord?

3 comments:

  1. 2. The Lord our God, makes it easy to approach Him all we have to do is pray. Pray, to His mother Mary in the Holy Rosary, pray His Divine Mercy. Pray to Him in adoration.Pray to Him at daily, weekly mass. He will show you through the Holy Spirit His precious Love that he invites us all to enjoy. Amen.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 2. The Lord our God, makes it easy to approach Him; all we have to do is pray. Pray, to His mother Mary in the Holy Rosary, pray His Divine Mercy. Pray to Him in adoration. Pray to Him at daily, weekly mass. He will show you through the Holy Spirit His precious Love that he invites us all to enjoy. Amen

    ReplyDelete
  3. I totally agree that Jesus has a very definite plan for each and every one of us. I just wish He would share it with us early on in our lives instead of us spending so much of our time trying to figure it all out. I would love seeing a miracle up close and personal...... I'd find it so much easier to be rewarded as "Doubting Thomas" was. Our mission that we are all capable of, is "to set by example," "do as I do," "walk the walk." I find it is easiest to communicate with God in the natural beauty that surrounds us.

    ReplyDelete