Reflections
Psalm 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9 (Read)“There is a stream whose runlets gladden the
city of God, the holy dwelling of the most High.”
The Psalm speaks of a life giving stream that
keeps the city of God undisturbed and viable.
And the prophet Ezekiel affirms there are life giving
waters flowing out from the sanctuary of the temple,
which is the Church. (Ezekiel 47:9) This holy water
brings life and fruit to areas where nothing could
have grown before.
It is the same for us. The Church is the source of our
baptismal waters where we receive God's grace and
are called to spread hope and encouragement and the
Good News wherever we go. For us, Christ is the
source of that living water that flows from the temple
of His body.
The Psalm speaks of the holy waters that flow round
the Church and round us personally. These waters
gladden us. These waters are a source of blessing for us.
They spring forth and nourish our inner being, purify us,
and are a source of healing. We are after all the holy
dwelling of the Most High, the holy temple of God,
as St Paul tells us. Our body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit that resides inside us. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Our psalmist says God is in the midst of His holy dwelling.
We understand this verse to mean—so long as God is
in our midst we shall not be disturbed. “The Lord of
hosts is with us.” He is our stronghold. The divine
presence in the temple of our body assures us of our
security, despite a world around us that is falling apart.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm assures us there are holy waters all around us.
Speak of how you are gladdened by these holy waters and how
these waters give you the grace you need to proclaim the Gospel.
2. Our psalmist affirms that the Lord of hosts is with us. Tell of
how you are made whole and given power by the presence of the
Holy Spirit living within you.
Psalm 46 is a strong affirmation of trusting God in the most troublesome situations. God is with us, even when the world around us might seem to be falling apart. In the midst of unpredictable natural disasters that change and destroy the earth, God’s people are not to fear. In the midst of political calamity, the voice of God can be heard. In the midst of militaristic strife, God will bring peace.
ReplyDeleteWe trust in you God, in your power, providence, and gracious presence with your church in the worst of times, and we give you the glory of what you have done for us and what you will always do. Thank you O Lord.
I have struggled with my eating habits for a few years now. I have tried a frightening combination of diet-aid supplements, and my shelves boast a dizzying array of diet books. Any success is short-lived because I so easily forget that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, a concept found in our second reading this week.
ReplyDeleteIf I consciously recall such verses as 1 Corinthians 3:16 or 6:19 before a meal, and offer an honest grace beforehand, it would be less tempting to overeat. I know such lessons in my head, but transferring them to my heart is a different matter.
In my fleshly quest for the next diet to try, I stumbled across the Daniel Fast, a Biblically-based partial fast. Only fruits and vegetables are allowed with only water to drink. (No sweeteners and no breads are allowed.) As with any fast, there is a spiritual motive: a focus on prayer, study, and meditation. The denial of the flesh should direct us toward God.
The Daniel Fast is fascinating me because of the emphasis on water... and food grown from the ground with the help of water. It may be a stretch in logic to link it to the Psalm, and yet, my mind keeps pulling me here.
God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress... What a comfort this first verse of Psalm 46 can be when the physical body craves something sweet or fried or more importantly, when our spiritual bodies wish to indulge in sin.
What about verses 5 and 6 (NIV translation)? There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Here, too, we are shown that God's life-giving presence will always be near us and even within us through the Spirit, as long as we stay close to Him. He doesn't go anywhere -- we do the straying. I hope to rely on such Biblical promises as I work to clean up this temple that is my body and strengthen His temple, my fellow followers in Christ.
In Psalm 46 the psalmist exalts God's ability to save His people's lives in the face of destruction on earth. The Prophet Ezekiel 47: 9 and 12, "Where the river flows everything will live. The water there becomes fresh. The living creatures will live wherever the river flows. The fruit trees of all kinds will bear their fruits to serve for food and their leaves for healing."
ReplyDeleteAs long as I have faith in His mighty Power and His Grace, His power can transform me no matter how messed up I am and even if I feel spiritually dead. Why? A life giving stream, Jesus Christ, is the source of the living water that flows out from the temple of His body.
We will be nourished by this holy water which is our hope, strength and encouragement in time of trials and hardships. And as well, we will get His deliverance from evil ones.
These waters have been a source of healing and blessing for my soul. Whenever I called out to God for His deliverance and forgiveness for my sins, His living waters all around me flowing through His temple sustained my life. My spirit is renewed and filled with joy because of knowing that Our Lord always dwells within me. I will not fear any more. He is indeed my fortress.