Psalm for Sunday, July 8, 2018

Reflections


Psalm 123: 1-2, 2, 3-4   (Read)

“Our eyes are fixed on the Lord.” 

We are called to serve God and to do  
His will, as Jesus did.  And so our eyes  
must be on God, that we may know His 
will for us, and that we may serve Him 
and our neighbor as well.

Where else would we turn?
To be measured by men?
To get direction from anyone else?
Like the prophet Ezekiel, our success is 
measured by doing God’s will and
following His direction in our
lives. (Ezekiel 2: 2-5)
Our psalmist says, “We have our fill of contempt;
we have our fill of insult from the proud.”
For it is the arrogant ones who rely only on
themselves, giving little thought to God.

Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was not 
respected in his home town; he was rejected
by his townspeople and neighbors. (Mark 6: 4-5)

Is that what we face from family or friends,
when we do the Lord’s work or proclaim his 
Gospel?  If so, then we are united with Christ,
and like St Paul, we can be content with insults,
hardships, persecutions and constraints.
The Lord's grace is sufficient for
us.  (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10)


Amen



Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist calls for us to fix our eyes on the Lord. 
Describe how you focus on the Lord in your faith journey.
Tell how you are able to discern God's will for your life.

2.   Our psalmist says he is fed up, having been the object 
of contempt and mockery from the arrogant ones around him.
Even Jesus was mocked in his native village.  Tell of how you 
deal with insult and persecution when you proclaim the Gospel.