Reflections
“We will go up to the house of the Lord.”
The Psalm is about a pilgrimage to the holy
city of Jerusalem. “Let us go to the house
of the Lord.” And for us it may also be about
a spiritual journey that we must embark
upon if we are to enter the Lord’s kingdom
and be present to the King of Kings.
For us the way is clear – we have only to
follow God’s beloved son, our Savior.
For just as God chose David to be the
shepherd for His chosen people (2 Samuel),
so God chose his son Jesus to lead us to
redemption (Collossians). And as St Paul says,
the Father saw to it that we would be transferred
to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
The gate is narrow, but as the psalmist says,
“And now our feet are standing within your
gates, Jerusalem.” Now we too have a share
in Christ’s inheritance.
And what draws us to make the journey
through the narrow gate? We seek to be with
the Lord, just as the thief on His right did (St Dismas)
when he said, “Jesus, remember me when you
come into your kingdom.” (Gospel of Luke)
The Lord replied, “Today you will be with me
in Paradise.”
This is our goal, too – to complete that pilgrimage
that the psalmist speaks about, to reach that
holy city where are the “thrones of justice, the
thrones of the house of David.”
Jerusalem in the Psalm symbolizes for us
the end of our journey, being present with the Lord.
This is what God has planned for His people.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our Psalm speaks of a journey to the Lord's kingdom.
What progress are you making along the way on your own
journey to the Lord's holy city?
2. The psalmist mentions that he has set foot within the gates
of Jerusalem. Describe your decision to walk the walk and go
through the narrow gate that leads to redemption and a share in
our Lord's inheritance.
ReplyDeleteMy "Study-Bible" uses an analogy to explain Psalm 122: What Jerusalem was for the Israelites, the church is to the believer. I am led to think of the importance of this Godly family that is the church. As in any family, I may find members disagreeable. Annoying. Even loathsome, sometimes. But then I am hit with the realization that I must practice the second of what Jesus calls the two greatest commandments. Mark 12:31 says... "The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'." If I am to do that, I need to be cloaked in genuine concern about my neighbor's welI-being. I am even responsible for his or her spiritual growth, by how I treat them. Do I model love for them? I do not do so on my own, but with the Lord's strength. Only then, am I "walking the walk through the narrow gate." Only then, am I sharing with others in the journey towards the Lord's kingdom.
I'm not sure if we're at the pearly gates yet, but we are on the path, and at age 75, Jerusalem is in sight.
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