Reflections
sets captives free.”
Christ Jesus carries out the promises
of the Psalm – He sets us captives free and gives sight to us so we can truly see.
The Lord raises us up when we are down.
He sustains us -- with real food and drink.
Who among us is not hungry for a closer
relationship with The Lord?
You may ask, “When were we oppressed,
or hungry, or in prison?” Have we not
been under pressure from the evil one
to commit sin? Have we not been held
captive at one time or another by our sins?
And do we not experience a hunger for
the Lord and for a deeper faith?
That same power that gives sight to the
blind and raises up those who are bowed
down is available to free us from whatever
imprisons us. All it takes is to receive Him
and open our hearts to our Savior.
The Psalm is telling us we really need
to humble ourselves if we want to be
raised up with Jesus. That may be hard
to do if it means we have to swallow our
pride and put aside worldly concerns.
But if we truly want to be set free from
the sins that bind us, then we need to
repent and bow down before the Lord,
accept our brokenness, and seek His
healing ministry. Only then will we begin
to have a right relationship with the Lord.
Having done so, we can pray this Psalm,
not only in honor of the heavenly Father,
but also in honor of Jesus Christ, whom
God exalted. We then join with the psalmist
and sing, “The Lord shall reign forever;
our God, through all generations.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist assures us that the Lord gives food to the hungry. Describe how your spiritual hunger is satisfied by the nourishment you receive from God.
2. The Psalm says that the Lord thwarts the way of the wicked. Reflect on your experience and give an example of how the Lord has overcome evil that was a threat to you.
Most of the time, when I think of someone who is famished or “hungry,” I envision someone who has less than I do. Perhaps someone with a creative sign by the roadside, asking for help with as cheerful a sprit as they can muster. Today, as I write this, I feel that I am the hungry one. I am the impoverished one, greatly in need of spiritual nourishment.
ReplyDeleteMost obviously, the Lord provides for me at Mass through the Eucharist — it is such an incredible miracle to receive His body, as bread. In Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert, He is tempted by the enemy to turn stones into bread, to alleviate his hunger pangs. Instead, Jesus not only resists this temptation to be in the perfect will of the Father, but He also becomes OUR bread for all time. As modeled in the Last Supper, and through His Pascal Sacrifice and Resurrection, He becomes our food and we are healed, strengthened, encouraged, calmed... whatever blessing it is that we need.
Other ways to receive His nourishment include reading His word, spending time with Him, and surrounding myself with His people. I have just discovered Lectio Divina — a way of praying on a particular Scripture passage that uses silence and meditation and resting in God. His Word becomes alive to me when I am truly focused. I am also fed when I share my blessings with others — a gift of time, or support, or even literally food and money.
I am actively looking for more ways to be fed and aspire to pass on the blessings.