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 today'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?
In spite of our faults and imperfections, we have the confidence of knowing that God truly loves us. We are all familiar with how God loves, protects, and takes care of the lilies in the fields and the birds in the air, and it only makes sense that God will love and take care of us that are made in His likeness. As someone once said, God doesn’t make junk. It’s important that we truly believe this and bask in this awesome and inspiring knowledge and glory.
ReplyDeleteWe, the people of God are asked to praise Him for His mercies and care, for the salvation and prosperity of the church.
ReplyDeleteTo those whom God heals with the consolations of His Spirit, He speaks peace, assures them their sins are pardoned. And for this, let others praise Him also.
Man's knowledge is soon ended; but God's knowledge is a depth that can never be fathomed. And while He tells the number of the stars, He condescends to hear the broken-hearted sinner. While He feeds the young ravens, He will not leave His praying people destitute.
Clouds look dull and melancholy, yet without them we could have no rain, therefore no fruit. Thus, afflictions look black and unpleasant; but from clouds of affliction come showers that make the soul to yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness.
The psalmist delights not in things wherein sinners trust and glory; but a serious and suitable regard to God is, in his sight, of very great price. We are not to be in doubt between hope and fear, but to act under the gracious influences of hope and fear united.
God's understanding has no limit, even though sometimes I feel I don't understand myself at all. What's wrong with me? I feel troubled. And I do not know where to turn.
ReplyDeleteThe Psalmist says, "The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground." And,"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." I was literally sick because of my kin's sudden betrayal. It made me awaken in the middle of the night. I was brokenhearted. I could not bind up my hurts. By the grace of God, I repented for my unforgiving heart and decided to forgive her for hurting me. It was so painful. I totally trusted her and loved her. Our long, loving relationship went up in the air.
I tried hard to take my mind off that hurtful incident and tried to focus on our merciful God. But it still lingers in my heart and comes back to me, thinking of her wrong doing against me. "How dare she deceive me like that?"
God reminds me that there is none trustworthy except God Himself. By His unfailing love I have experienced His healing power. First of all I have to forgive those who wounded me. And then I will be renewed physically and emotionally and spiritually by His Mercy. Praise the Lord ! The Lord delights in those who fear Him.
This week's Psalm passage is one of great comfort. As omnipotent as the Lord our God is, He knows "the number of the stars and calls them each by name." (v. 4) And in verse 5, "His understanding has no limit."
ReplyDeleteWe may feel insignificant or that our sins are too numerous; we don't understand why our hearts have difficulty in turning from what we know is fleshly and worldly. Or perhaps why our hearts like to rehash the wrongs done to us by others.
But God understands. He created us and has mercy on what we don't know how to do. We need to train our minds and hearts to focus not on ourselves and our shortcomings but on God. As we study God and His nature, the more we will understand ourselves.
I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 10:5 which says, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." I like the aggressive imagery here in that we have the power to take prisoner every negative thought and turn it into a God-approved understanding.