Psalm for Sunday, June 2, 2013

Reflections

Psalm 110: 1, 2, 3, 4
 
“The Lord said to my Lord:  'Sit at my right
hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”
 
Our psalmist David, speaks of the Messiah
who is to come.   For us, the psalm is about
the anointing of Jesus as our Savior,
Jesus as the everlasting King and Priest. 
Christ will take His throne at the right hand
of God, as our psalmist predicts.  Christ will
make His enemies His footstool.   He is able
to do this because the Father has empowered
Him to rule over His enemies.   
 
And how does Christ's victory affect us earthly
humans?   The truth is that we too are in the midst
of the same spiritual battle that Christ has already
fought.  And His victory means for us that we can
be victors as well – victors, not victims.  And for that,
we praise God and give thanks to our King.
 
This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of  the
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).
How is it that Jesus, anointed as the everlasting King
and Priest, humbled himself to pour out his blood
on the cross for us, common sinners?  How is it that
such a mighty King is willing to co-mingle his very
flesh and blood with our own fallen flesh and blood?
All we can know is that God's plan intends that His
perfect divine presence enters into our fallen, human
presence and offers healing, wisdom, salvation,
and hope. (Word Among Us, June 2nd)
 
How blessed we are that although we are not worthy
to receive Him, He gives us angels' food, bread from
heaven – “He fed them with the finest wheat and satisfied
them with honey from the rock.” (Ps 81: 17)
 
Our Lord is both shepherd and lamb to us,
His well tended flock.  As the Paschal lamb, He spilled
His lifeblood for us, feeding us as God sent manna to
our spiritual fathers.
“Very bread, good shepherd, tend us,
Jesus, You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow.” (Sequence, Laud, O Zion)

How remarkable that our Lord, though seated
at the right hand of the Father, comes down from
heaven so that we sinners might have a share
in His divinity.  “I am the living bread that came down
from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread
will live forever.” (Jn 6: 51)  
 
We are inspired to offer our prayers of thanksgiving
to our Lord --
“Grant O Lord, we pray,
that we may delight for all eternity
in that share in your divine life,
which is foreshadowed in the present age
by our reception of your precious Body and Blood.”
(Mass, Prayer after Communion, June 2nd)

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm speaks of the anointing of Jesus as our Savior, 
who will rule in the midst of His enemies.  Tell of how you 
have relied on our Savior to fight your spiritual enemies on your behalf.

2.  With our Lord so powerful and seated at the right hand of the Father, 
does it surprise you that He would come down from heaven to mingle
His precious body and blood with our human flesh and blood?  Explain