Monday, May 23, 2016

Psalm for Sunday, May 29, 2016


Reflections


“The Lord said to my Lord: 'Sit at my right 
hand till I make your enemies your footstool.'”

Our psalmist David speaks of the Messiah 
who is to come.   For us, the psalm is about 
the anointing of Jesus as our Savior, Jesus 
as the everlasting King and Priest.  Christ 
will take his throne at the right hand of God, 
as our psalmist predicts.  Christ will make 
his enemies his footstool.  He is able to do 
this because the Father has empowered
Him to rule over his enemies.

And how does Christ's victory affect us 
earthly humans?  The truth is that we too are 
in the midst of the same spiritual battle that 
Christ has already fought.   And his victory 
means for us that we can be victors as well 
victors, not victims.  And for that, we praise
God and give thanks to our King.

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of 
the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ  (Corpus 
Christi).  How is it that Jesus, anointed as the 
everlasting King and Priest, humbled himself to 
pour out his blood on the cross for us common 
sinners?  How is it that such a mighty King is 
willing to co-mingle his very flesh and blood with 
our own fallen flesh and blood?  All we can know 
is that God's plan intends that his perfect divine 
presence enters into our fallen, human presence 
and offers healing, wisdom, salvation,and hope. 
(Word Among Us)

How blessed we are that although we are not worthy
to receive Him, He gives us angels' food, bread from
heaven – “He fed them with the finest wheat and 
satisfied them with honey from the rock.” (Ps 81:17)

Our Lord is both shepherd and lamb to us, his well 
tended flock. As the Paschal lamb, He spilled his 
lifeblood for us, feeding us as God sent manna to
our spiritual fathers.  “Very bread, good shepherd, 
tend us, Jesus, You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow.”  
(Sequence, Laud, O Zion)

How remarkable that our Lord, though seated
at the right hand of the Father, comes down from
heaven so that we sinners might have a share in 
his divinity. “I am the living bread that came down
from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread
will live forever.” (Jn 6:51)

We are inspired to offer our prayers of thanksgiving
to our Lord --

“Grant O Lord, we pray,
that we may delight for all eternity
in that share in your divine life,
which is foreshadowed in the present age
by our reception of your precious Body and Blood.”
(Order of Mass, Prayer after Communion)

Amen
 

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm speaks of the anointing of Jesus as our Savior,
who will rule 
in the midst of His enemies.  Tell of how you have relied on our Savior to fight 
your spiritual enemies on your behalf.

2.  With our Lord so powerful and seated at the right hand of the Father,
does it 
surprise you that He would come down from heaven to mingle His precious body 
and blood with our human flesh and blood?  Explain
 

1 comment:

  1. On this feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, our psalmist speaks of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and also tells of Christ's priestly work for his people as the King who rules over the earth. He sits at the right hand of God until He makes his enemies his footstool, because the heavenly Father has empowered Jesus to rule over his enemy - satan.
    Our Savior has overcome the forces of evil out of his love for us.

    Jesus died for us. He asked us to celebrate his death by eating his Body and taking his Blood. I know it is spiritual food which nourishes our souls. Whenever I take his Body and Blood, He is abiding in me. I abide in Him. I feel his presence whenever I take the Eucharist. He will satisfy my spiritual hunger for Him. What a blessing it is that I am able to taste his goodness through the Eucharist. So I can have a deep, intimate relationship with Jesus.

    Even though I am not practicing my faith diligently, I know the importance of taking the Body and Blood of Christ daily. Otherwise I could fall because of my weakness. I feel the overwhelming abundance of love that our Lord is offering through the Body and Blood of Christ. He continues to offer me the strength and power to overcome evil forces in the midst of battle. It is truly a blessing that I can taste and see the goodness of the Lord through his Body and Blood!

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