Psalm for Sunday, February 4, 2018

Reflections
 
Psalm 147: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6   (Read)

“Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.”                                                                 
  

  

The Psalm says that the Lord “rebuilds Jerusalem” 
and “heals the brokenhearted, binds up our wounds.”

There is comfort in these words for all of us.  The Psalm 
points to the healing power of Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
which is depicted in this week’s Gospel.  (Mark 1:29-39)

We too can be rebuilt from the inside out by the promise 
of our Lord's salvation.  It is surely by the grace of God
that we are made well.  It is God's grace that drives the 
demons out of us; there is no room in our hearts for both 
the Holy Spirit and the demons.  And we obtain God's grace
from the sacraments, which empower us to be well physically,
emotionally, and spiritually.

There is even hope for someone beaten down like Job,
whom we hear about in Sunday's 1st reading. (Job 7:1-4, 6-7)
Like Job we may be poor in spirit, but it is at our moment 
of greatest weakness that the Lord will call us by name –
“He numbers all the stars, calls each of them by name.”

Having put our trust in the Lord, He will sustain us, 
“The Lord sustains the lowly.”  Once we realize that the Lord 
takes care of the lowly (for we are His sheep), we can not help
but praise God, preach the Gospel, and boast in our faith as 
does St Paul. (1 Corinthians 9:16-18, 23)
Our Psalmist says it well – “How good to sing praise to God;
how pleasant to give fitting praise.”

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm response this Sunday is, 'Praise the Lord, who heals 
the brokenhearted.'  Explain how the verses of the Psalm give you hope 
that the Lord will 'bind up your wounds.'

2.  Our psalmist says that the Lord 'calls each of the stars by name.'
Does this verse give you comfort that our Creator also knows your name
and seeks you out despite the infinite size of the universe? What does this
verse mean to you?

Psalm for Sunday, January 28, 2018

Reflections

Psalm 95:  1-2, 6-7, 7-9   (Read)

“If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

Today's Psalm is about obeying and worshiping 

God.  We are urged to bow down in worship before 

our God, whose sheep we are (remember we are His 

well-tended flock).  We are instructed to be alert for 

His voice and to be receptive to His teachings 

(we need to be good listeners).

We are not to harden our hearts or test the Lord 

(as the Israelites did at Meribah).

We are to humble ourselves and open our hearts 

to the Lord; having done so we are set free.

Then we are no longer constrained by the 

things of this world, and we can be open to His love 

and His teachings.  

Moses prophesied that the Lord would speak to us 

through one of our own kind (Deuteronomy 18:18).

So we had better listen to God’s son, Jesus, who 

became one of us so that we could be more like Him.

His works should be sufficient to convince us of His

saving power and grace.

St Paul tells us we need to be free from anxiety and 

distractions (1 Corinthians 7:32).  This is not an easy 

thing to do when we are caught up in the things of the 

world.  We would all benefit from an authoritative 

cleansing of our hearts, and a removal of unclean 

forces that distract us from praising the Lord.  

Then we can make room for Jesus to fill our hearts 

and remain in us.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist encourages us not to harden our hearts if we hear God's voice.   

Do you find it difficult sometimes to carry out God's will in your life even if you believe He is speaking to you?   Give an example.

2.  The psalm reminds us that we are like sheep and the Lord is our shepherd.  
Are you willing to be just an ordinary sheep among His flock?  If so, what does it 

mean to you to be shepherded by the Lord?

Psalm for Sunday, January 21, 2018

Reflections

Psalm 25:  4-5, 6-7, 8-9   (Read)

“Good and upright is the Lord, 

who shows sinners the way.” 

We are blessed to have a God 

who does not disregard us.

On the contrary, He is a caring, 

compassionate God, 

willing to humble Himself 

to share in our humanity, 

so that we might share in His

divinity.  Who else would have 

such regard for sinners, for believers 

who disobey Him?  All we have to do 
is trust Him, and He will lead us back to the 
right path --
“Make known to me your ways, Lord; 

teach me your paths.”

Our psalmist David humbly

offers up his sins to God his savior,

and waits for God’s guidance. 

“The Lord guides the humble rightly, 

and teaches the humble

His way.”

In Sunday's Gospel the early disciples 
leave their nets and their families behind 

when Jesus calls out to them.  (Mark 1:16-20)

Jesus had a plan for His disciples,

when He singled them out to serve Him. 

God had a plan for Jonah as well;

His mission was to warn the people 
of Nineveh to repent and turn to the Lord.  
(Jonah 3: 1-5)

St Paul in Sunday's second reading 

has a similar message for all of us, 

that time is running out and any day now 
would be an acceptable day for us

to focus on our own salvation.  
(1 Corinthians 7: 29-31)

The Lord is there to guide us,

as He was in the days of David,

our psalmist.

Whether it's through a Jonah 

in our midst or a Saint Paul,

the message of the Lord is clear –

“Repent and believe in the Gospel.”

We may not be able to do this on our own,

but as our psalmist says,  

“The Lord shows sinners the way.”

The Lord is talking to all of us here; 

we are all sinners.

We are all able to benefit 

from the healing power of Jesus.

And where does the power come from 

to turn away from sin?  

It comes from the Lord;   

It is He who encourages us when 
our tongues confess, 

“Remember no more the sins of my youth; 

remember me only in light of your love.” 

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist petitions the Lord, 'Teach me your ways.'  
How do you go about learning the ways of the Lord?  Tell how 
the verses of the Psalm help you understand the ways of the Lord.

2.  Our Psalm says the Lord 'shows sinners the way.'  Give an example 
of how you have been guided by the Lord to turn away from sin and repent.

Psalm for Sunday, January 14, 2018

Reflections

Psalm 40:  2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10   (Read)

“Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.”

The Psalm is a prayer of gratitude
and of obedience to the Lord.
Our psalmist David answers God’s call
when he says, “Here I am.”
Young Samuel does the same
in our first reading.
Samuel waits expectantly
for the Lord to speak to him –
he is ‘all ears’
when he hears the Lord’s voice.

He grows up serving the Lord
and following God. (1 Samuel 3: 3-10,19)

Our psalmist says,
“He put a new song into my mouth.”
For us too it is no longer the same old tune
or the same old we.   We are in fact
a new creation, singing out the good news.

Where does our joyful spirit come from?
It comes from the Lord, and we are called
to share what He has given us and to do
His will, which is our delight.

In the Gospel reading (John 1:35-42),
Andrew recognizes Jesus as the anointed
and is drawn to Him.
Andrew and  his brother Simon
truly become members of Christ's body.
They are joined to the Lord
and have become one spirit with Him,
as St. Paul proclaims in our 2nd reading. 

(1 Corinthians 6:15,17)

We too are called to follow Christ
and to do His will.
Obedience isn’t an unpleasant chore for us;
instead as the Psalm tells us,
“To do your will is my delight.”

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  In this beautiful Psalm our psalmist speaks of waiting, waiting for the Lord.   
Tell what it means to you to have waited for the Lord, and what has been the result
of your presenting yourself to the Lord?

2.  Our psalmist is delighted to do God's will; he says to God, "Your law is within 
my heart!"   Have you also felt the Lord's pleasure when you obey Him and serve Him?  What does it mean to you to say God's law is within my heart?


   

Psalm for Sunday, January 7, 2018

Reflections

Psalm 72:  1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13   (Read)

"Lord, every nation on earth will adore you."

This Psalm is a prayer for our newborn King. 

Our psalmist speaks of a Messiah 

who will be like the “rain coming down 
upon the fields,  like showers watering the earth.” 

Our psalmist prays that our newborn King 

will be anointed by God with divine judgment 

and empowered to rule the earth.

The prophet Isaiah in Sunday's first reading 
predicts that the light of the Lord 

will cause our hearts to overflow 

and the riches of the sea to be emptied out 
before us.  (Isaiah 60: 5)

Our psalmist also speaks of “abundance 

that will flourish in his days.” 

But the Messiah is among us 

to do more than bless us materially;

our Savior has come to make our burdens light, 

to share our afflictions.

We see the light, just as the prophet Isaiah 
said we would.

And in the Psalm's verses, the mystery 
is revealed to us, poor in spirit though 
we are:  “He rescues the poor when they 
cry out [as we do], the oppressed 
who have no one to help.”

This is what our Good Shepherd Jesus 
is sent to do, to shepherd God’s people. 

This is why we join the Magi in doing 
homage to our newborn King and join 
with our psalmist in singing,

"Blessed be the Lord; Blessed be His 
glorious name."

Amem


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist mentions 'afflicted ones' and 'the afflicted' in two of the Psalm's 
verses.  Are there times when you can identify yourself as an 'afflicted' one?   
Tell what remedies are available to you that are mentioned in the Psalm.

2.  The Psalm says, 'Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.'   Using the 
verses of the Psalm, explain why 'all kings' would want to pay homage to our Lord.

Psalm for Sunday, December 31, 2017

Reflections

Psalm 128: 1-2, 3, 4-5  (Read)

“Blessed are those who fear

the Lord and walk in His ways.”

Our psalmist tells us that a man 
who has a right relationship with 
the Lord will also obtain a right 
relationship with his wife and his 
family.  If we have a right

relationship with the Lord, we will 
know how to treat our wives and 
our children, and in turn, we will 
discover how blessed we are in 
our home and by the presence of

our family. “Just so will the man 
be blessed who fears the Lord.”

And if a man walks with the Lord, 
this will be reflected in the way he 
loves his wife.  Because if a man 
cherishes his wife, as ‘flesh of his 
flesh’ and ‘bone of his bones,’ 
he nourishes his relationship with 
her, as Christ nourishes the Church.

And the man’s reward is that his wife 
will be like a ‘fruitful vine’ within his 
house. This is how a man is blessed 
who fears the Lord.

Having been so favored by God, we 
understand why, 'A man shall leave his 
father and mother and cleave to his wife.' 
God made them one flesh, and, 'What God 
has joined, no human being may separate.'

If we fear the Lord and walk in His ways, 
we will receive the blessings of our labor, 
prosper in a material way, and grow old 
gracefully in the company of our family.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm tells us how to gain God's favor so that our family life will 
be blessed.  What does it mean to you to fear the Lord and walk in His ways?

2.  We learn from our psalmist how to behave toward our wife and our children.  
A right relationship with our family is obtained by having a right relationship 
with our Lord.  Explain how you are putting this teaching into practice.

Psalm for Sunday, December 24, 2017

Reflections

Psalm 89:  2-3, 4-5, 27, 29   (Read)

"The promises of the Lord 
I will sing forever."

This Sunday's Psalm 
sings about God’s 
promises to Israel 

and God's covenant 
with David.  

“I have made a covenant 
with my chosen one.”

That same divine selection 
is celebrated in Sunday's 
first reading that tells the story 

of how David was taken from 
pasturing sheep to become 
Israel’s commander. (2 Samuel 7:8)

Our psalmist quotes the Lord, 

“I have sworn to David my servant:

Forever will I confirm your posterity

and establish your throne for all 
generations.”

And how does this young shepherd boy 

rise to greatness in Israel?  He succeeds 
because he has found favor with God,

and God will be the source of his strength.  

This is the same divine strength that St Paul 

tells us is available to each of us, 

if we believe and have faith.  (Romans 16:25)

But it isn’t a one way street with the Lord.

David is to show us that we must give glory 
to God.  He cries out, “You are my Father, 
my God, the Rock, my Savior.”

Our Mother Mary also finds favor with God 

and is anointed to be the Blessed Mother 
of our Lord Jesus.  She too responds by 
giving glory to God in this week’s 
Gospel.  (Luke 1:38)

The Lord’s covenant with David stands firm, 

and it is through God’s promise to David 

that the Messiah is born of Mary.

“Forever, I will maintain my love for [David];

my covenant with him stands firm.”

That promise to David is fulfilled 

in the birth of our Savior, and for that 
we too must give glory to God.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  David is to call out to the Lord, 'You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.'  We too are inspired to cry out to God in a similar way. Tell of the times when you 
have felt like crying out to God in worship and praise.

2. Our Psalm response is, 'Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.' 
One reason to sing of the Lord's goodness is because His promises are trustworthy. 
Describe how you have relied on the promises of the Lord in your faith journey.