Reflections
Psalm 27: 1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14 (Read)
“Come, says my heart, seek God’s face;
Your face, Lord, do I seek!”
Our psalmist, David, puts into words
what we feel in our hearts, which is
to seek a right relationship with
the Lord. We are drawn to the Lord;
we wish to speak to Him face to face,
to be in His presence, to listen to
His Word, and to serve Him faithfully.
We may not have the faith of Abraham
(Genesis 15:6), but we know that
a right relationship with the Lord is
key for us, because without that close
relationship, we have little chance
of salvation. Our psalmist knows the
critical importance of salvation,
“Do not forsake me, God, my savior.”
Few of us will be able to speak directly
with God, but God makes himself
accessible to us through His Son, Jesus.
And in this Sunday's 2nd reading,
St Paul promises that our own bodies
will be changed, to conform with Christ’s
glorified body. (Philippians 3:21)
This is how our own personal transfiguration
takes place.
What can we do to be sure we share in
Christ’s glory? St Paul tells the brothers
in Philippi, “Stand firm in the Lord.”
And our psalmist agrees, “Wait for the Lord,
take courage, be stouthearted, wait for
the Lord.”
What better way for us to stand firm in
the Lord than to commune with Him in
prayer, to worship Him, to be transformed
by Him, as were those disciples that day
when Jesus was transfigured on the
mountain. (Luke 9:29) Having been
transformed, we, like the disciples,
will be emboldened in our faith --
“Of whom should I be afraid?”
In our day to day battles against evil forces,
we need not fear anyone, for He is our refuge.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist seeks God's face. Does your heart seek a right
relationship with the Lord? Speak of how you are drawn to the Lord,
and how He makes himself accessible to you.
2. The season of Lent can be a time of transformation for us.
But we
cannot change our hearts by ourselves; we all need the Lord's help,
as does our psalmist, 'You are my helper; cast me not off.' Tell of how
you are becoming a better person with the help of the Lord.
Reflections
Psalm 91: 1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 (Read)
“Whoever clings to me I will deliver;
whoever knows my name, I will set on high.”
This Sunday's Psalm is about God’s
protection of the faithful. It applies to us
who place ourselves under His protection
along the path of life. The psalmist
addresses us, “You who dwell in the shelter
of the Most High, say to the Lord, 'My refuge
and fortress.'”
As mentioned in Sunday’s first reading, the
Israelites were in great distress under the
oppression of the Egyptians. What the Lord
did for them, He is prepared to do for us,
“The Lord heard our cry and saw our
affliction.” (Deuteronomy 26:7)
In today's Gospel even the devil respects
the power of God and His commitment to our
security, when he quotes this verse of the Psalm,
“For God commands the angels to guard you in
all your ways.” (Luke 4:10)
And how do we obtain this level of protection
amidst the snares along the way and the terror
of the night? We call upon the Lord, and we trust
in Him to deliver us, “Whoever clings to me I will
deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high.”
St Paul proclaims a similar message in Sunday's
second reading, “Everyone who calls on the name
of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
The psalmist agrees and quotes the Lord,
“All who call upon me I will answer; I will be with
him in distress; I will deliver and give him honor.”
What could be more reassuring than that?
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist speaks about God's angels guarding us in all our ways.
Give an example of how you have been borne up upon the wings of angels
and given power physically or spiritually to trample down the devil and his minions.
2. In the Psalm God says that if we cling to Him, He will deliver us and set us on high.
Tell of what it means to you to 'cling' to the Lord, and having done so, how have you
been made free from evil that threatens you.
Reflections
Psalm 138: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8 (Read)
“Forsake not the work of your hands.”
Our psalmist David composed this
prayer with a grateful heart. “I will
give thanks to you, O Lord, with all
my heart.”
David is grateful because his
petitions are answered by the Lord.
“For you have heard the words of
my mouth.” The Lord's answers to
David's prayers have come at a
critical time, a time when our
psalmist is seeking to build up
his strength.
David speaks of a divine rescue --
“When I cried out, you answered;
you strengthened my spirit.”
Perhaps we’re all in need of a
spiritual rescue of the type David
describes. And it isn’t because of
any of the psalmist’s virtues that he
obtains salvation. It is a result of
God’s loving fidelity, “Lord, your
love is eternal.”
Our God does not forsake the work
of his hands, though who has given
the Lord anything that he may be repaid?
Unworthy as we are, and although the Lord
is exalted, He watches over us in our
lowly state. And thanks be to God, his
kindness endures forever. St Paul says
the same thing in today's 2nd reading,
“But by the grace of God I am what I am.”
(1 Corinthians 15:10)
Our psalmist reminds us; all God has
to do is stretch out his right hand, and
we will be saved. “You stretch out your
hand, your right hand saves me.”
In today's Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus
reaches out to Simon Peter, who is
empowered to become a true apostle and
a catcher of men by following the Lord.
(Luke 5:10)
Our psalm concludes in a grateful and
affirming theme, showing how Peter
probably felt, as he fell on his face
at the feet of the Lord that day by the lake.
“The Lord is with me to the end.
Lord your love endures forever,
never forsake the work of your hands.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist affirms, 'When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.' Speak of your own experience
when you were in need of the Lord's help to build up your spiritual vigor.
2. David pleads with God, 'Forsake not the work of your hands.' As a child
of God, tell of how you can expect the Lord to love you forever unconditionally.
Reflections
Psalm 71: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17 (Read)
“O my God, rescue me from
the hand of the wicked.”
This Psalm is known as a
prayer in the evening of life.
The psalmist looks back,
recalls how he has tried
to remain faithful to God,
his life’s companion.
“You are my hope, Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend since birth;
from my mother’s womb
you are my strength.”
In the difficult moments of
old age, the psalmist begs God
to come to his aid, and resolves
to praise God with all his might.
“My mouth shall proclaim your
just deeds, day after day your acts
of deliverance.”
The Psalm recalls for us the words
of the prophet Jeremiah, who says,
“Before I formed you in the womb
I dedicated you, a prophet
I appointed you.” Jeremiah draws
strength from the Lord; God makes him
a “fortified city, a pillar of iron.”
(Jeremiah 1:5, 18)
And in the Psalm the writer pleads
with God, “Be my rock and refuge;
my stronghold to give me safety;
for you are my rock and fortress.”
In Jeremiah’s struggle against kings
and priests, he obtains assurances that
the Lord is with him to deliver him.
The Psalmist seeks the same guarantee
from God – “In your justice rescue and
deliver me.”
In today's Gospel, our Lord Jesus
was able to pass through the midst of
the angry crowd that threatened him
that day in Nazareth. (Luke 4:30)
Our psalmist too is threatened
by an adversary and petitions God,
“My God, rescue me from the power
of the wicked, from the clutches of the
evil and violent.”
And for us too, the source of our
ability to weather those spiritual trials
that we face in our own lives comes
from God our Father. His works are mighty,
and His justice is available for the asking,
“I will speak of the mighty works of the Lord;
O God, I will tell of your singular justice.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist says that from his mother's womb God was his strength.
Describe how you as a child of God derive strength and hope from the Lord.
2. The psalmist cries out to God to rescue him 'from the hand of the wicked,
from the clutches of the evil and violent.' Speak of how you have been
delivered by the Lord from the clutches of the evil one.
Reflections
Psalm 19: 8, 9, 10, 15 (Read)
“Let the words of my mouth meet with your favor, O Lord.”
Where does the power come from to keep us on track,
to speak the right words, think the right thoughts?
It comes from the Lord, our rock and redeemer.
And how does it come to us? It comes through
the Word, the inspired Word of God.
It is through the Word that we know His commandments,
and through this Psalm that we know His law is a source
of refreshment, a source of joy. When we follow the
Lord’s commands, there is a joy that is stirred up in
our hearts. “The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart.”
His statutes do not bind us, they set us free. As in
the days of Ezra, the reading of the law should not
make us sad, but be a source of rejoicing.
(Nehemiah 8:9-10)
If we are to imitate the divine life, everything we need
to know is found in God’s law. The Word is the source
of wisdom; it is where power is found. And it is where
the statutes of God are spelled out.
The Lord's statutes serve as our instruction manual
for life. But they are not just a dry set of rules that
we cannot hope to follow; God's commandments
refresh our souls.
The Word and the statutes endure forever.
They are refreshing to the soul.
They enlighten the eye.
And they bring much reward.
As Christ says in today's Gospel,
scripture is fulfilled in our hearing. (Luke 4:21)
Give us ears to hear!
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our Psalm response this
Sunday is 'Your words, Lord,
are Spirit and life.' In
what way are you impacted along
your faith journey by the words of our Lord?
2. Speak of how the
Lord's commandments are useful in
carrying out the prayer of our psalmist, 'Let the
words of my
mouth and the thoughts of my
heart find favor before you.'
Reflections
Psalm 96: 1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10 (Read)
“Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all
the nations!”
Today's psalm is a song of Israel, the
chosen people, brought back from exile.
Their joy and praise is understandable.
The prophet Isaiah says that God calls
them, “His Delight, His Espoused.”
(Isaiah 62:4)
No wonder they want to “Sing to the
Lord a new song,” and tell of God’s
glory and His marvelous deeds.
We are all summoned to adoration of
our sovereign God. We are called to
give Him 'glory and praise,' as our
psalmist says. And we are called
to bring gifts as we enter His courts.
But no matter how precious our own
offerings may be, they are no match
for the gifts of the Spirit that each of us
receives, and which St Paul speaks
about in this Sunday's second reading.
Each of us receives these spiritual gifts
individually, and they are given through
the Spirit to us for 'some benefit.'
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
In this Sunday's Gospel our Lord Jesus
uses His marvelous gifts to turn water
into wine at the wedding in Cana and so
reveals His glory. (John 2:1-11)
Even today the Lord provides real food
and real drink for us, in the Eucharist.
What better nourishment could there be
in our lives? As the psalm says, we are
called to be grateful and, “Give to the Lord
the glory due His name,” to bow down
to the Lord, and to tremble before Him.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist encourages us to, 'Sing to the Lord a new
song."
What is it about your faith that makes you want to sing praise
to the Lord?
2. The Psalm urges us to, 'Proclaim His marvelous deeds to all
the nations.'
How will you go about proclaiming the Gospel to
those around you in your family
and your community?
Reflections
Psalm 29: 1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 (Read)
“The God of glory thunders.”
The Psalm is about the splendor and the
power of God. “Give to the Lord the glory
due God’s name. Bow down before the
Lord’s holy splendor.” The Psalm speaks
of the voice of the Lord “thundering” over
the waters. “The voice of the Lord is
power; the voice of the Lord is splendor.”
God's awesome voice was heard over the
Jordan River that day when the heavens
were torn open and the Holy Spirit descended
upon Jesus just after He was baptized. What
could be more powerful than the voice of God
declaring, “This is my beloved Son, with whom
I am well pleased.” (Gospel, Luke 3:22)
What happened at the Jordan River that day
was to fulfill what God said to the prophet Isaiah –
“Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen
one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have
put my spirit.” (Isaiah 42:1)
The baptism of our Lord may have happened
over 2000 years ago, but on that day God
anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power,
the power to serve the faithful (people like us),
and to do battle on our behalf with the
devil. (Acts 10:38)
From that time forward we too became eligible
to serve the Lord as His chosen ones. Isaiah
tells us what our spiritual mission is to be:
like Jesus, we are to be a light to the nations,
and open the eyes of the blind (those who do
not know the Lord). (Isaiah 42:6-7)
And imitating Jesus, we are to bring out
prisoners from confinement (those who may
be imprisoned by sin). What better way
would there be for us to serve the Lord?
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm's verses speak of the power and splendor of the voice
of the Lord, thundering over the waters. Have you heard God's powerful
voice speaking to you, anointing you as one of His chosen ones?
Explain.
2. Our psalmist encourages us to give God the glory due His holy name.
Tell of how you give God the glory in your activities and your everyday life.
