Reflections
“Good and upright is the Lord,
He shows sinners the way.”
This Sunday's Psalm is
a prayer for forgiveness
and guidance, a good
way to begin the season
of Lent. Our psalmist
David recalls the covenant
the Lord made with Noah
(Genesis 9: 8-15), and David
writes, “Remember your
compassion and love,
O Lord, for they are ages old.”
He shows sinners the way.”
This Sunday's Psalm is
a prayer for forgiveness
and guidance, a good
way to begin the season
of Lent. Our psalmist
David recalls the covenant
the Lord made with Noah
(Genesis 9: 8-15), and David
writes, “Remember your
compassion and love,
O Lord, for they are ages old.”
Later in the psalm David affirms,
“Good and upright is the Lord,
thus He shows sinners the way.”
Who else could lead us out of the pit
of our sins but God’s Son, the righteous
“Good and upright is the Lord,
thus He shows sinners the way.”
Who else could lead us out of the pit
of our sins but God’s Son, the righteous
one who suffered for us, the unrighteous
ones, as St Peter reminds us in this
Sunday's second reading.
(1 Peter 3:18-22)
Peter says Baptism doesn’t remove
the dirt from our bodies; it doesn’t
remove our sinful nature. But it does
allow us to receive the Holy Spirit
within us, because without the Spirit,
we are powerless against the devil.
ones, as St Peter reminds us in this
Sunday's second reading.
(1 Peter 3:18-22)
Peter says Baptism doesn’t remove
the dirt from our bodies; it doesn’t
remove our sinful nature. But it does
allow us to receive the Holy Spirit
within us, because without the Spirit,
we are powerless against the devil.
We are blessed to have a God who
does not disregard us. On the contrary,
He is a caring, compassionate God,
does not disregard us. On the contrary,
He is a caring, compassionate God,
willing to humble himself to share in
our humanity, so that we might come
to share in His divinity. Who else
our humanity, so that we might come
to share in His divinity. Who else
would have such regard for sinners,
for believers who disobey him?
It is He who encourages us when our
tongues confess – “The Lord guides the
humble rightly, and teaches the humble
His way.”
for believers who disobey him?
It is He who encourages us when our
tongues confess – “The Lord guides the
humble rightly, and teaches the humble
His way.”
In this Sunday's Gospel, our Lord Jesus
tells us what we are to do as we prepare
for the most important season of the year,
tells us what we are to do as we prepare
for the most important season of the year,
“Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
And in response we join with our psalmist
and say, “You are God my Savior.”
and say, “You are God my Savior.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our Psalm speaks of being taught by the Lord ("Teach me your paths; guide me
in your truth and teach me; He teaches the humble His way.") Are you a good student of the Lord? Tell about what you have learned or are learning from the Lord.
2. Our psalmist says, "The Lord shows sinners the way." As we enter the season
of Lent, we could all use some guidance and help as we strive for repentance and
to be bolder in our faith. Explain what you will do during Lent to become a more
obedient Christian and a better witness for your faith.
1. Our Psalm speaks of being taught by the Lord ("Teach me your paths; guide me
in your truth and teach me; He teaches the humble His way.") Are you a good student of the Lord? Tell about what you have learned or are learning from the Lord.
2. Our psalmist says, "The Lord shows sinners the way." As we enter the season
of Lent, we could all use some guidance and help as we strive for repentance and
to be bolder in our faith. Explain what you will do during Lent to become a more
obedient Christian and a better witness for your faith.
The LORD is pleased when we acknowledge that we are determined to follow him. It is evidence of our faith when we declare our intention to be obedient to him. One of the teachings of the Bible, however, is that because of remaining sin within us, we are not capable on our own to recognize the truth and to put it into practice (Deuteronomy 5.28–29; Romans 8.12–14). It is good to tell God that we want to follow his teachings but we must also go on and ask him, “Teach me your way.” A desire to follow him is not enough unless we also recognize that we are dependent on him as our Teacher to let us know what he wants us to do and to grant us the power to do it.
ReplyDeleteGod’s ‘way’ or ‘paths’ have more to do with the kind of people he wants us to be than with what he wants us to do in life. We come to points, of course, where we must make a choice: Should I marry this person? Should I major in teaching or in business? Should I take this job or that one? These are important decisions but, according to the Bible, they are always secondary to the kind of person he wants us to be—God is much more concerned with who we are than with what we do.
Once we begin a relationship with God, it will last the rest of our lives. God doesn’t teach us everything he wants us to know all at once. It took us twenty years (at least!) to grow up to adulthood, humanly speaking. It shouldn’t surprise us to know that God will spend our lifetime teaching us what it means to be his adult son or daughter in the kingdom of God.
“Repent and believe in the Gospel.” This command from Mark, along with the phrase “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” are the two phrases used to offer ashes on Ash Wednesday. As an Extraordinary Minister of Communion, I was blessed to distribute Ashes and Communion to the homebound this week.
ReplyDeleteMany frail limbs and wrinkled faces lit up when they saw the grey cross on my forehead, and asked for one too.
The elderly at the homes I visit don’t seem to embrace much activity. Therefore, it is ever more powerful to witness their desire to identify with Christ, to be identified as one of Christ’s, even if only through ashes on their foreheads for a day. The Holy Spirit who may have been once on fire in their hearts, still burns. Still prompts. Still reaches out.
The same Holy Spirit touches me as I try to minister to others.
This Lent, I am struck by a new urgency to bless someone every day. It might be that I reach out to someone with whom I have lost touch. Or I might be extra kind to someone I find most annoying in the fleshly sense.
As the Psalm says, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in His ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them the way.” I feel that the Lord has been working to humble me; as I work on accepting humility, I recognize His Spirit more readily, all around me. I hope to cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit this season.
No, I do not think I am a good student of the Lord. But I can acknowledge "God is good and upright so He shows sinners the way.” He is so humble that He shares in our humanity in order that we share in His divinity.
ReplyDeleteI recognize who God is, and who I am. He is a caring and compassionate God, all powerful, all knowing. He is righteous while I am weak, helpless, sinful, frail, and needy. I picture Him a mighty God . I can not keep from bowing down before Him, asking Him, “Show me your way, guide me along your paths.”
I regard Lent as the season for repentance of my sins. In the past habitually I went to Confession, but no matter how I determined to put in practice my Lenten resolutions, I failed many times as the days passed by.
But in this time of Lent I will more seriously strive for repentance of my sins asking His guidance. I will become a more obedient Christian who practices my Catholic faith. I now realize my rebellious way made me confused and it hindered me from becoming a sincere Christian. I did a lot of lip service while my heart was away and wandering around.
I invite the Holy Spirit to show me God’s way and guide my life and rescue me. He is my Savior. I turn to Him because He will pardon my sins.
In you I trust. I lift up my soul. Show me, a sinner, the way. Guide me to the righteous way. This is my prayer during the Lenten season. Lord, hear my prayer!