Reflections
Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24 (Read)
“I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the Lord came to my help.”
Once again we visit this powerful psalm of praise
and thanksgiving. This time the verses stress
the enduring love that God has for us – so much so
that despite the part we played in crucifying His son,
God went ahead and carried out His plan to save us.
“God’s mercy endures forever.”
“I was hard pressed and falling, but the Lord came
to my help.” This verse could be about us. Are we
any different from our psalmist, any less desperate
or in need of the Lord's healing power and presence
in our lives?
“My strength and my courage is the Lord.” He is
present to us, just as He was in those early days of the
church described in today's 1st reading (Acts 2: 42-47),
and in the Gospel (John 20: 19-31). We may not have
the awesome experience of physically putting our hand
in the Lord’s side and our fingers into the nail marks
on His hand, but He is with us.
We are victorious over death. The Lord’s deliverance
is cause for joy. Just when we were down, the Lord raises
us up. “I was hard pressed and falling, but the Lord has
been my Savior.” The joyful shout of victory is heard.
We are on firm ground after all – Christ has become our
cornerstone, as our psalmist reminds us. Christ has become
a source of strength for us, despite His apparent weakness
that day on the cross, when He died a shameful death.
The Lord is present to us when we are frightened as He
was present to those frightened disciples in the upper room.
Who would have been more hard pressed and falling
than they were before Jesus appeared to them and blessed them
and extended His peace to them? That same source of strength
and might the psalmist speaks of is available to us; all we have
to do is open our hearts and receive His saving grace.
As St Peter tells us in today's 2nd reading (1 Peter 1: 3-9), Christ’s
resurrection gives us a living hope and a powerful faith. This is
cause for rejoicing: “By the Lord has this been done; it is
wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made.”
Along with the disciples and the early church, “Let us be glad
and rejoice in it.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist was 'hard pressed and falling,' but affirms that
the Lord has been his savior. Describe how you have been
saved by the Lord and given strength and courage by Him.
2. The Psalm declares, "The joyful shout of victory is heard."
Speak of what makes you joyful during this Easter season, and
tell of how you have shouted and rejoiced in the Lord's resurrection.
Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!
ReplyDeleteEvery answer to our prayers is an evidence that the Lord is on our side; and then we need not fear what man can do unto us; we should conscientiously do our duty to all, and trust in Him alone to accept and bless us. Let us seek to live to declare the works of God, and to encourage others to serve Him and trust in Him. Such were the triumphs of Jesus, in the assurance that the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in His hand.
Since Jesus has, through His death on the cross, defeated the Devil, the Christian’s victory consists of entering into the victory of Christ and enjoying its benefits. “But thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Therefore I believe that we can experience daily the victory Jesus has provided. The victory has been won. Now all we have to do is believe in God and stand firm in that victory.
Jesus Christ, our resurrected Lord, assures me of hope and faith in Him. He is alive. He won victory over death. He is real, the son of God and He is my Savior. From now on, I'll open my heart and receive His saving grace. And I'll tell the good news to my friends who are not saved yet.
ReplyDeleteBecause of His deliverance from my sins I am saved. I will fear death no more. I am covered with Jesus' blood. God sees Jesus' blood covering me.
I have inherited a heaven and His divine love and mercy is available for me always. Even if my guilt and depression are overwhelming He gives me the strength how to handle them. He is risen, and I am saved. It causes me to shout with joy.