Reflections
Psalm 24: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (Read)
“Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?
Who can stand in His holy place?"
This Sunday's Psalm is about a journey to
a holy place. It is a place where we will meet
the Lord. But we are asked, “Who can ascend
the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in
His holy place?”
Our psalmist answers, “The clean of hand and
pure of heart, who has not given his soul
to what is vain, such is the people that seeks
the face of God.”
We are all unworthy to be in the Lord's
presence, but at least we can cleanse
ourselves through confession, and bathe
in the Word. That is how we show our love
for the Lord.
Though we may not have to climb a mountain
to meet the Lord, we must prepare to receive
Him in our hearts. The Psalm is guiding us to
prepare ourselves from within, so that we are
made ready to receive Him when He comes.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm asks, "Who can go up to the mountain of the
Lord?
How do you prepare yourself to ascend the mountain of
the Lord and
stand in His holy place?
2. The Response this Sunday is, "Lord, this is the people that longs
to see your face." Describe the longing in your heart for our Lord.
Reflections
Psalm 126: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (Read)
“Restore our fortunes, O Lord.”
This Sunday's Psalm celebrates the
reversal of Israel’s fortune, and return
from exile, which could not have
occurred without God’s intervention.
The psalm's verses reflect praise for
what the Lord has done. “The Lord
has done great things for them.”
The psalm is also a petition asking
the Lord to look after the future of the
remaining Israelites. And there is an
expectation that God will guide them
in achieving prosperity.
“Restore again our fortunes, Lord,
like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.”
This calls to mind our lst reading from
Jeremiah, where God promises to lead
the remnant of Israel to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall
stumble. (Jeremiah 31:9) We too are
looking for that water which restores
and renews, cleanses us and purifies us,
that living water which satisfies our
spiritual thirst.
The Psalm also reminds us the truly great thing
the Lord has done for us is to send his only
begotten Son to be by our side. Jesus’ presence
in our lives is a guarantee of a spiritual harvest
that will lead to our own salvation. Just as
Bartimaeus, the blind man in the Gospel, is saved
by his own faith, the Lord promises us a transition
from a sinful existence to a world of joy. (Mark 10:52)
The Psalm says it well, “Those who go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown, shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.” And therein lies a lesson for us –
to let go of our own baggage, and pick up the Lord’s
burden, because we know his yoke is easy.
Whatever type of spiritual exile may imprison us, Jesus
shows us a way out. God is in the business of deliverance.
As the prophet Jeremiah confirms, we go among the blind
and the lame to the promised land. (Jeremiah 31:8)
We carry our sacks with us and within those seeds that
we sow is contained the promise of new life, the reversal
of whatever misfortune may trouble us. When the
harvest comes in, we can join with the psalmist and sing,
"Our mouths are filled with laughter, our tongues sing for joy.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm alludes to a reversal of spiritual exile that may apply to people like us.
Tell of how the Lord has brought you back from a time of being distant from Him.
2. Our psalmist suggests that we carry the seeds of our own salvation even while
we go forth weeping. Speak of how your faith has saved you, when you looked
to the Lord for healing.
Reflections
Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 (Read)
"Lord, let your mercy be on us,
as we place our trust in you.”
Our Sunday Psalm is written in praise
of God’s power and providence.
It is the Lord’s design for his
people that stands through all
the generations. It is through
his plan that we are saved.
Our own feeble efforts count for
nothing. We must be submissive
and abandon ourselves to his providence.
And how do we know his plan?
This Sunday's lst reading (Isaiah)
graphically outlines what God has
in mind for his Son, that He be
'crushed for our offenses.' (Isaiah 53:10)
As unpleasant as this sounds,
that is how we are delivered from
death. Because Christ humbles himself for
our sake, becomes a slave to our sin,
there is hope for us, even in our time
of spiritual famine The psalmist has it right,
“The Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear Him,
to deliver them from death.”
In Sunday's 2nd reading, the Letter to the Hebrews
answers the question, “How can we approach the throne
of God?” The answer is with confidence, and then
we will find mercy and grace. (Hebrews 4:16)
The theme of the Psalm is the same, “The Lord’s eyes
are upon those who hope for his grace.”
It is said that even people who have no faith
have a longing in their hearts for God. There is something
missing in their lives. For us who are believers,
we are dependent on the Lord – we openly ask for
his help and his protection. He is our shield in the
spiritual battle that we all have to fight.
If we trust in the Lord, his eyes will be upon us,
and we can expect to receive his grace. And as
the psalmist says, through the Lord's grace we
are delivered from death, kept alive in times of famine.
And for this we praise the Lord. As the psalmist says,
we know He will fill the earth with goodness and his
kindness will be upon us. The Psalm ends on a positive
note, “Lord we have put our hope in you.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The psalmist says, 'Our soul waits for the Lord.' Tell of how you have
a spiritual hunger for the Lord in your life, and explain how the Lord satisfies
your longing.
2. The psalm's verses state that, 'The eyes of the Lord are upon those who
fear Him.' Do you feel the eyes of the Lord upon you because you hold
Him in awe? Explain.
Reflections
Psalm 90: 12-13, 14-15, 16-17 (Read)
“Teach us to number our days aright, that we
may gain wisdom of heart."
The Psalm reminds us that man’s days are
numbered, and that we should use our time
wisely, making our days and our life count
for something. And how do we do that?
We do it by being open to the wisdom of God.
Just as Solomon preferred the gift of wisdom
over material wealth (Wisdom 7:7-9), so too
do we see the advantage of using our time
wisely by doing the Lord's will.
Although we may never receive the wisdom
of Solomon that this Sunday's first reading
talks about, we can hope for some ability to be
detached from worldly things, which can separate
us from God.
How do we do this? Where does the ability come from,
to cut through all our present day concerns?
It comes from the Word – “The Word of God is sharper
than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between
soul and spirit, joints and marrow." (Hebrews 4:12)
Scripture teaches us that the Word will give us a
correct view of life, and this will allow us to have
a right relationship with the Lord. Having got that right,
we may receive the favor of the Lord and be counted
among his sheep. As the Psalm says, “May the favor
of the Lord our God be ours.”
How much better will our lives be if we may sing for joy,
as the psalmist says, and be filled at daybreak
with the love of the Lord. And having received God’s
favor, we will want to be His servants and do His work.
We will become laborers in the field where the
harvest is plentiful. And as the Psalm says,
“The work of our hands will prosper.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm speaks about using our time wisely. Tell of how you set
your priorities so that you are serving God and doing His will.
2. Our psalmist talks of how we may gain 'wisdom of heart.' Give an example
of how you are receiving wisdom to discern a correct view of life so that you
will not offend
the Lord.
