Psalm for Sunday, March 1, 2020

Reflections 
         (By J. Kim) 


Psalm 51:  3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17   (Read)

“A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me”

We are all born of a sinful nature.
Just as Adam and Eve fell to temptation 
in the Garden of Eden (this Sunday’s first 
reading, Genesis 3: 1-7), so too has God's 
chosen one (King David) fallen.
David, our psalmist,  is sincerely sorry for 
committing adultery and murder, two 
gravely  sinful acts which separate him
from our loving Father.

But God in his compassion and goodness can

blot out David’s offense, no matter how grave.
David’s sins, like our own, are offensive to God
first and foremost – “Against you alone have
I sinned.”

David cries out to be rescued from his fate,

to be saved from death, which is a consequence
of his sins. David’s verses are a prayer of
repentance and recall for us the power of the
Sacrament of Confession. “A clean heart create
for me, O God; and a steadfast spirit renew
within me. Give me back the joy of your salvation.”
His words are prophetic and speak of God’s grace
that becomes available through Christ’s gift of
justification (Sunday's second reading, Romans 5: 15-19).

Our psalmist pleads with the Lord, "Have mercy on me, 

O God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion 
blot out my offense."    We are reminded here that no 
sin is too big for God to forgive.   And when we do fall 
into deep patterns of sin, we must realize that our 
wrongdoing isn't only against other people, but ultimately, 
it's rebellion against the Lord himself. "Against you alone 
have I sinned,"  is how David acknowledges this fact.  

God wants to have a close relationship with us, but 
unconfessed sin will always get in the way. We must 
not only confess our sins openly and sincerely, but 
we must work at "restoring the joy of salvation” in 
our hearts. 

Once we have rebuilt a solid foundation with God the Father,
no strong assault from Satan will penetrate.  We can have 
that very same "steadfastness of spirit" that David asks 
for in the Psalm and that Jesus displays in the Gospel.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist calls upon the Lord to renew within him a 'steadfast spirit.'  

Give an example of how our God has done a work in you so that you can  carry
your cross with endurance, trusting in God's strength.

2.  The Psalm's verses speak of how we offend God by our sins and separate
ourselves from His loving presence.   Tell of how, with the help of God's grace,
you are able to obtain a right relationship with the Lord, and regain the
'joy of your salvation.'

Psalm for Sunday, February 23, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 103:  1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13   (Read)

“The Lord redeems your life from destruction, 

crowns you with kindness and compassion.”

Our psalmist sings the praises 

of a divine and loving God, who 

surrounds us with compassion, 

pardons our sins, heals our ills.

He nurses no lasting anger; 

He has not dealt with us as our 

sins deserve. Our duty is to 

remain faithful to the Lord, and 

to treat His anointed ones with 

love and compassion, as He 

would do.

This Sunday's Gospel teaches 

a powerful and difficult lesson – 

we are to be merciful to our 

enemies by imitating the Father.  

(Matthew 5: 43-48)

And the Psalm tells us how to do this, 

by being “Merciful and gracious, slow 

to anger and abounding in kindness.”

Who can love their enemies, and do 

good to them?  It will be difficult if we 

allow our earthly nature to rule us. 

Just as “God has not dealt with us 

as our sins merit,” so must we imitate 

God and have compassion on those 

we would typically want to condemn.

We cannot imitate God without a share 

in Christ’s divinity, and in turn being 

empowered by the Holy Spirit within us.  

Only then will we have the kind of 

compassion the psalmist speaks about, 

“As a father has compassion on his 

children, so the Lord has compassion 

on the faithful.”

If we love the Lord, it will show in our hearts, 

and the old things will then pass away.  

The Psalm says it well: “As far as the east 

is from the west, so far has He put our 

transgressions behind us.”

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm speaks of a loving and compassionate God, who does not deal 

with us according to our sins.   Are you able to treat those who have harmed you 

in the same way?  Explain.

2.  The verses of the Psalm remind us of the power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He put our transgressions behind us."  Relate how the Sacrament works for you to put 

your sins behind you.

Psalm for Sunday, February 16, 2020

Reflections   (by J. Kim)

    

Psalm 119:  1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34   (Read)

“Blessed are they who follow the law
of the Lord.”

Our psalmist is in prayer asking for many things.  He asks, "Open my eyes, that I may consider the 

wonders of your law."  We may 

not think of the law as wonderful, 

but rather may consider it restrictive and harsh, but if we learn to do His will, we find that we are liberated, 

set free from the sin that drags us down.  We choose life instead of death.

The Lord reveals to us very clearly how to live a life that is "happy" and full of peace.  "Happy are those who observe 

God's decrees, who seek the Lord with 

all their heart." 

However, with man's sinful nature, we are
likely to fall far short.  God never intended
to justify anyone through the Law of Moses. 
Rather, the law shows us where we are sinful.
Fortunately for us, God sent his son among us 

to redeem us from those sins   

If we are not sure where sin lurks in our lives,
then our prayer becomes the words of the
psalmist, “Give me discernment, that I may
observe your law and keep it with all my heart.” 

The closer we walk with the Lord, the brighter
He shines his goodness into the darkest corners
of our minds and hearts.  And it's exactly the
purity of our innermost thoughts and motives
that matters most to the Lord.  Even the Scribes
and Pharisees were good at following the law
with their actions.  The Gospel asks us to delve
further than that, and make following the law
about the condition of our inner selves.

(Matthew 5: 17-37)

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection  

1.  Our psalmist affirms that those who walk in the law of the Lord, those 

who observe His decrees, will be happy and blessed.   Based on your own experience, how does our Savior lift you back up and restore you when you  stumble?

 2.  The Psalm's verses petition the Lord to instruct us in the way of His  statutes.  Tell of how you receive guidance and discernment from 

the Lord that will help you observe His law and keep it with all your heart.

Psalm for Sunday, February 9, 2020

Reflections 

Psalm 112:  4-5, 6-7, 8-9   (Read)

“Light shines through the darkness 

for the upright.”

The Psalm inspires us to have 

a right relationship with the Lord by becoming 'upright.'   

Having done so, having delighted in God's commands, we begin to imitate Him and treat our brothers and sisters 

as He would do.

“Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just.”  

These are heavenly qualities 

(being gracious, and merciful and just),

and having God's light in our hearts 

inspires us to do good works, 

to “conduct our affairs with justice,” 

“give to the poor lavishly.”

And as we measure out a good 

and generous measure, our measure 

is returned to us many times over.  

As the Psalm says, we will be lifted up 

from within; our "horn shall be exalted 

in glory."

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm's verses are in keeping with this Sunday's Gospel
and the reading from Isaiah.  All three affirm that we people of
faith are the 'light of the world' and are motivated to do good deeds. 
Give an example of how your light shines through in the darkness.

2.  Our psalmist speaks of a man whose 'heart is firm, trusting in
the Lord,' whose 'heart is steadfast.'   In our world today, what makes
you firm of heart and trusting in the Lord?