Reflections
Psalm 126: 1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (Read)
“The Lord has done great things for us.”
This Sunday's Psalm speaks about the
joyous return of Israel from exile and
captivity. “The Lord has restored the
captives of Zion.” As we hear in
Sunday's 1st reading (Baruch 5:1),
Jerusalem is to take off her robe of
misery and to put on the splendor of
God forever. Truly, “The Lord has
done great things for them.”
But there is more -- as the Psalm says,
the Lord has done great things for us
as well. What could be more wonderful
than what Christ does for us, in leading
us out of our spiritual captivity in a sinful
world, to a place of splendor where the
Father dwells. We are restored by the
Lord’s grace, and our spiritual dryness
is filled with the baptismal waters, like
the dry stream beds of the Negeb.
But we must do our part – the 'sowing
of tears' is a time of repentance for us.
It is just as John the Baptist proclaims
in the Gospel – we must be baptized in
repentance, for the forgiveness of our sins.
(Luke 3:3)
And what is the sign of true repentance?
It is when one produces good fruit by
what we sow. As the Psalm says,
“Those who go forth weeping, carrying
sacks of seed, will return with cries of joy,
carrying their bundled sheaves.”
Finally the Psalm reminds us that the
truly great thing the Lord has done for us
is to send His only begotten Son to be by
our side. Jesus’ presence is a guarantee
of a spiritual harvest that leads to our
own salvation.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist reminds us, 'We are filled with joy,' because the Lord
has done great things for us! Tell of how these verses speak to you
during this Advent season of the arrival of our incarnate Lord.
2. The Psalm says, 'Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.'
Describe how repentance has led to salvation in your spiritual life.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had a few confessions that I was really preoccupied about beforehand, and maybe procrastinated on going a little bit. And then, I’ve hit a really great priest, and the counsel that I received was just right on. I’ve walked away on a high, and just kept playing back the good words that I received. The world seemed like a better place, and I felt like dancing. This doesn’t happen all the time, but when it does, you’ll know it!
ReplyDeleteThe Lord has done great things for us – Amen to that.
ReplyDeleteWe see it; we feel it; we acknowledge it. A surrounding world may see it in us in so many examples like in our conversion, in us being turned from sin, in the influence of religion upon us, in our comfort, calmness, and peace, that "the Lord has done great things for us."
Whereof we are glad - It fills our souls with joy. If this is understood of the returning Hebrews - coming back from the captivity in Babylon; if it be applied to a sinner returning to God, it is no less suitable, for there is nothing that so fills the mind with joy as a true conversion to God.
During the Second Sunday of Advent, the Psalmist reminds us, "The Lord has done great things for us." What could be more marvelous than what Jesus Christ will do for us? If we repent of our sins with tears of sorrow, we are restored by the Lord's grace, and our broken bones heal. Our grief will be temporary.
ReplyDeleteGod is able to bring good out of miseries. Our spiritual wilderness is filled with joys as we wait for the Lord's coming with patience. We will harvest good fruit by what we sow. Our true repentance leads us out of our spiritual captivity in sin. We are cleaned and once again we will reap with songs of joy as we are waiting for Christ's coming.
We are guaranteed to have our Salvation because the Lord has done the truly great thing for us by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. As for me, I am preparing myself to receive Him with a clean heart during the Advent season. And so I am filled with joy by anticipating His coming.