Reflections
that our God, who is at once exalted above all men, is willing to stoop low
and to raise us up to His own level.
God reverses common wisdom,
and we who are called His servants
are lifted up out of the dung heap
of life and treated as royalty in His kingdom.
“Who is like the Lord, our God, who is enthroned
on high and looks upon the heavens and the earth
below.” It is God's nature to seek out the lowly
and the afflicted ones of this world, and who is to say
that we are not all afflicted?
Christ Jesus shows an amazing ability to bring up
to His level the outcast of society – the poor, the
lowly, the barren. Often criticized for eating and
drinking with sinners, our Savior shows us how
to behave toward our neighbors, to understand
that it is the sick who need a physician.
Jesus' behavior is in sharp contrast to the conduct
of the merchants described in Sunday's first reading
(Amos 8: 4-7). They have undisguised contempt for
the poor whom they are exploiting. But Jesus
reminds us that the poor have a divine and powerful
advocate. The compassion of our Lord reaches
down to those whom the powerful of the earth regard
as nothing. Jesus devotes his spiritual wealth and
loving attention not to those who can give something
in return, but to those whom the world disregards.
With such a loving God in our midst, we are inspired
to become like Him, and to join with our psalmist and
sing praise to our God, and praise his name.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our Psalm reminds us that the Lord on high reaches down to our human level to lift us up. How can it be that our God, who is exalted above all nations, is willing to stoop to our lowly level and show concern for us?
2. What does it mean when our psalmist says that God raises up the lowly from the dust and seats them with princes?
In God's perfect design, every good gift is meant to be shared. This would include our abilities to sing, to cook tasty meals, or to organize clutter. It would also include our material possessions. Every blessing we have been given, is meant to be used wisely to build up the kingdom of God. We are stewards of these gifts, now owners.
ReplyDeleteEven while knowing this truth, I am challenged to use my finances in the wisest way. I regularly donate out of my excess when it's convenient. I also organize my charitable giving by cause and importance, but do I do enough?
I know that God wants his people to enjoy lovely furnishings and experiences this side of heaven. The key is not to be attached to them or think they're deserved in any way. Money cannot buy health, joy, or eternal life. It is a deceptive master. Greed is used most cunningly against us by the evil one, and he knows we cannot serve both God and money.
The Lord has most compassion for the poor of the world and stoops down to comfort them -- the ones who are hungry, helpless, and seemingly forgotten, are precious in His sight. They are detached from the material world and can seek higher and lasting treasures.
There will come a time when the Lord "...lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people." He loves to exalt the humble and raise them from the lowest conditions to places of honor in heaven. God's economy is often the reverse of the world's.
Those of us blessed with much, need to be honest and faithful with the much we're given. We must place God as our Master, above possessions. Understanding this detachment from worldly comforts will help secure us a seat as well, at the heavenly banquet of eternal riches.
This Psalm reaffirms that our God is a merciful,
ReplyDeleteloving and kind God - willing to stoop low to comfort the poor, who are neglected and looked down upon by the merchants who are exploiting them. It is so in the Bible, and also prevalent in our own society today.
We as Christians and children of God are taught
to emulate God's kindness towards the lowly and the poor, especially when we've been blessed with a far better life economically... Our mother taught us to give back, to reach out to the poor and unfortunate, and to thank God for our Blessings. She gave to many
charities that helped the disadvantaged, but we weren't aware until she passed and we saw files of receipts from donating...She always stated "in the Bible it says the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing"...Matthew 6:3-4
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, So that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you..
The same applies to our giving of ourselves to help the sick "the
sick need a physician" .....There is sudh joy in giving!