Psalm for Sunday, April 2, 2017

Reflections 

Psalm 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8  (Read) 

“With the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption.”

The psalmist calls to the Lord from ‘out of the 

depths’ of his sin that has brought him near to 
death. He asks the Lord, ‘Hear my cry for mercy.’

He waits with longing for the Lord, knowing that 
God forgives, and  redeems us, even when we 
abandon Him.  “My soul looks for the Lord more 
than sentinels for daybreak.”

There is no way we can please God, so long

as we remain in the flesh, as St Paul says in

Sunday’s second reading. (Romans 8:8).

But God forgives us, gives us 'life in the spirit' 
and saves us from death (remember 'the wages

of sin is death.')   What greater act of

forgiveness could there be than the one

made for us by the Son of God?  “But with you
there is forgiveness, that you may be revered.”

We too await our redemption with hope, 
knowing that even if we are dead in our sins,

the Lord will revive us. We too cry out to the

Lord for forgiveness, as our psalmist says, 
“Lord, may your ears be attentive to my cry
for mercy.”

Redemption is a promise made to us, just as

the Lord promised the Israelites that he would

open their graves and put his Spirit within them,

so they would live. (Sunday’s first reading,  
Ezekiel 37:12-14)

That same Spirit raised Jesus from the dead,

and St Paul tells us the Spirit of God will give

life to our mortal bodies too. (Romans 8:11)

This is that “full redemption” the psalmist talks 
about that is later made real to us in the Gospel 
story of Lazarus. (John 11:1-45)

And so we too have come to believe and 
revere our Lord, as happens in the Gospel

among the Jews in Bethany.  Truly, 'Our God

is an awesome God.'

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist sings about the promise of forgiveness that is  available to us if we trust 
in the Lord.   Speak about how you will  seek out God's mercy during this Lenten season.

2.  The Psalm talks about 'plenteous redemption,' or the 'fullness of redemption.'   
Tell what this means to you as you prepare for the coming of Easter.

Psalm for Sunday, March 26, 2017

Reflections 

 

Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-4, 5, 6  (Read)

“You anoint my head with oil.”

 

Just as David was anointed by Samuel,

so too we are chosen by the Lord to be

His servants and to do His work.

Our own family members may scoff at this,

and we may think we are least likely to succeed

as a servant of God.  But the Lord anoints ordinary

people to do extraordinary things. The weak

are chosen to shame the strong.

Where does the power come from to do the

Lord's work?  Like David, we are anointed

with oil by the Lord, and we make a covenant

with Him.  Our trust in the Lord is rewarded.

We must do as David did and open our hearts

to receive the Holy Spirit.  St Paul says it another

way in this Sunday's second reading – 

“Awake O' sleeper, and Christ will give you light.”

Sunday's Gospel shows us that Jesus came to cure

our spiritual blindness. We lack nothing when we

trust in the Lord. We fear nothing, even when our

lives are at a low point spiritually or physically.

Our eyes are opened by our trust in the Lord;

we are led out of the dark valley of sin,

where we did fruitless things in secret.

Our response, as the psalmist says, is to let 

the Lord lead us, to listen to Him, and to take 

courage from Him. God sends his Son to save us 

and His Spirit to live within us. “Surely goodness 

and mercy will follow us all the days of our life, 

and we shall dwell in the house

of the Lord forever.”

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist says that the Lord guides us in right paths for His name's sake.   

Do you feel chosen to do God's will?  If so, how are you overcoming any obstacles 

to make it happen?

2.  The Psalm's verses affirm, 'The Lord is at my side, with His rod and His staff that 

give me courage.'  Are you empowered to serve God and live out the Gospel?  

Give an example.

 

Psalm for Sunday, March 19, 2017

Reflections

Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9  (Read)

“We are the people God shepherds,

the flock He guides.”

The Psalm is a call to praise the Lord

and to obey Him. We are cautioned not

to 'harden our hearts' as the Israelites

did at Meribah. We are not to test the 

Lord as our spiritual ancestors tested 

the Lord 'as in the day of Massah in 

the desert.'  After all, we are 'God’s 

well tended flock.'

Our Lord is a good shepherd, and we 

are His sheep. As St Paul tells us in 

today's second reading,  the love of 

God is 'poured out into our hearts

through the holy Spirit.' (Romans 5:5)

Knowing that, we should 'bow down 

in worship, kneel before the Lord

who made us,'  as the Psalm says.

And when we humble ourselves

and open our hearts to the Lord, 

we are set free. We are no longer
constrained by the things of this world, 

and we can be open to His love and

His teachings.

Today's Gospel  affirms that Our Lord Jesus

is our savior, and just as the life of the Samaritan

woman at the well was transformed by the words

of Jesus, we too can be transformed, if we truly

listen to the Lord. Not only will He tell us

'everything we ever did,' but He will give us

that living water which quenches our spiritual

thirst. (See John 4: 5-42)

At that point our hearts will no longer be hardened.

We will 'bow down in worship,' and as our psalmist

says, we will greet our Lord with a song of praise.

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist encourages us not to harden our hearts if we hear God's voice.   

Do you find it difficult sometimes to carry out God's will in your life even if you believe 

He is speaking to you?   Give an example.

2.  The psalm reminds us that we are like sheep and the Lord is our shepherd.   

Are you willing to be just an ordinary sheep  among His flock?  If so, what does 

it mean to you to be shepherded by the Lord?

 
 

Psalm for Sunday, March 12, 2017

Reflections 

Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22  (Read)

“The eyes of the Lord are upon those who

fear Him, to deliver them from death.”

The Psalm is praise for God’s providence,

the blessings He gives us. “The Lord fills

the earth with goodness. His works are

trustworthy.”

We may not have the faith of Abraham

(Genesis 12:1-4), but we can be sure

the Lord’s eyes are upon us – “The 

Lord’s eyes are upon those who hope 

for His gracious help.” As our psalmist 

says, “O Lord, we have put our hope 

in you.”

In Sunday's 2^nd reading, St Paul says 

that God has saved us and called us to 

a holy life.  (2 Timothy 1:9)

The Psalmist confirms this – “We are

delivered from death, kept alive in times

of famine.” We may not be starving for

physical food, but we could face spiritual

death from sin if we were not saved by 

our Lord Jesus.

“The eyes of the Lord are upon those 

who fear Him, to deliver them from death.”

Remember, the wages of sin is death, and 

we are all afflicted.  Fortunately for us, 

Christ destroyed death and brought life,

as St Paul says (2 Timothy 1:10),

so it is natural that we openly ask for His 

help and His protection.   He is our shield 

in the spiritual battle that we all have to fight.  

“Our soul waits for the Lord, who is our help 

and our shield.”

If we trust in the Lord, His eyes will be upon 

us so long as we count ourselves among 

those who fear Him, and we can expect 

to receive His grace.

Through His goodness we can expect a

transfiguration of our own, and that same light

which shone from Jesus' face that day on 

Mt Tabor can be a source of light for us

and those around us. “We have put our hope

in you, O Lord.”

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  As our psalmist says, the Lord's eyes are upon us, and that is a good thing 

because of His saving grace.  Speak of how you depend on God's providence 

to preserve you as you go about your daily life amidst the world's attractions.

2.  The Psalm assures us that God's love and mercy will be granted to us, as we 

place our trust in Him.  Give an example of how you have trusted in the Lord and 

how you have benefited from His kindness.