Reflections
Psalm 96: 1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10 (Read)“Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all
the nations!”
Today's psalm is a song of Israel, the
chosen people, brought back from exile.
Their joy and praise is understandable.
The prophet Isaiah says that God calls
them, “His Delight, His Espoused.”
(Isaiah 62:4)
No wonder they want to “Sing to the
Lord a new song,” and tell of God’s
glory and His marvelous deeds.
We are all summoned to adoration of
our sovereign God. We are called to
give Him 'glory and praise,' as our
psalmist says. And we are called
to bring gifts as we enter His courts.
But no matter how precious our own
offerings may be, they are no match
for the gifts of the Spirit that each of us
receives, and which St Paul speaks
about in this Sunday's second reading.
Each of us receives these spiritual gifts
individually, and they are given through
the Spirit to us for 'some benefit.'
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
In this Sunday's Gospel our Lord Jesus
uses His marvelous gifts to turn water
into wine at the wedding in Cana and so
reveals His glory. (John 2:1-11)
Even today the Lord provides real food
and real drink for us, in the Eucharist.
What better nourishment could there be
in our lives? As the psalm says, we are
called to be grateful and, “Give to the Lord
the glory due His name,” to bow down
to the Lord, and to tremble before Him.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist encourages us to, 'Sing to the Lord a new song."
What is it about your faith that makes you want to sing praise to the Lord?
2. The Psalm urges us to, 'Proclaim His marvelous deeds to all the nations.'
How will you go about proclaiming the Gospel to those around you in your family
and your community?
The call given us to praise God is very lively, the expressions are raised and repeated.
ReplyDeleteWe are here required to honor God,
- With songs: we are here called to sing to the Lord; sing to the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Spirit. The subject-matter of this song should be his salvation, the great salvation which was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus; that must be shown forth as the cause of this joy and praise. This song is to be sung constantly, from day to day.
- With sermons: We are to declare his glory and his wonders among all people. Salvation by Christ is here spoken of as a work of wonder, and that in which the glory of God shines very brightly; in showing forth that salvation we declare God's glory as it shines in the face of Christ.
- With religious services: All the earth is here summoned to fear before the Lord, to worship him according to his appointment.
We are called to praise God and give glory to him: The Lord is great, and therefore greatly to be praised (v. 4) and to be feared.
God will judge the world in righteousness and will judge the people in his truth. The chosen people, Israel, were brought back from exile. So their joy is full in appreciation for what He has done for them. This psalm proclaims God's glory and gives praise for his marvelous deeds.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I thank him for the gifts of the Spirit. These spiritual gifts I have received from the Holy Spirit help me to do God's works. He will guide me in the right direction to earn Salvation. So I will sing a new song unto the Lord for His marvelous deeds.
In this Sunday's Gospel (John 2:1-11), our Lord Jesus does a miracle and turns water into wine at the wedding in Cana. He revealed His glory. I will proclaim the Gospel about how Jesus made water into wine. He is truly the son of God, and Jesus is our Savior. We can be saved only through faith in Him. Let's worship the Lord because the Lord reigns forever.
Whether a secular or sacred matter, it seems that human beings were created with a desire to share good news. Speaking about a joyous development often strengthens our own faith while planting seeds in the hearts of others. We become unselfish when "proclaiming His marvelous deeds to the nations." We are given a grace that lets us be so happy for another or so easily able to acknowledge our Lord as the Doer of such wonderful acts for us.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to using words to express God's mercy and goodness, we can rely on exemplary behavior and even appearance. What do I mean? I refer to becoming a person who models priestly behavior -- keeping the commandments, honoring the Sacraments, perhaps even wearing religious jewelry.
As believers, we are charged with showing to all, that the kingdom of God is an attractive and exciting reality. So often, "he that lives in the world" tells us the lie that God's rules, his land, and his people are boring and stern. No, we proclaim the opposite in word and deed.. and literally in song!