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.
This psalm shows us not only that “laughter” (Psalm 126:2) and God go together but also God and “joy” (Psalm 126:2-6). This psalm is written to help us discover the secret of joy.
ReplyDeleteMost people we know can relate to this psalm, at least to some extent. We have all experienced times of sadness and times of joy. In many cases, our sorrow actually leads to and enhances our gladness. God's grace reverses our losses and turns them into delightful gains.
I suppose this is a poetic way of saying “No pain, no gain!”
After his resurrection, the Lord Jesus told two of his followers on the road to Emmaus,
“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24.26).
One of the lessons we learn from the life of Jesus that we are to pattern our lives after is that suffering must precede glory. That is our confidence on our earthly pilgrimage. As Paul told us, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14.22).
Gracious God, how we praise you for being a redeeming, transforming, renewing God. Thank you for being with us in our times of sorrow. Thank you for using our suffering and even our failures for your purposes. Thank you for taking that which was planted in tears and allowing it to be harvested with shouts of joy. Thank you for all the ways and times you have done this in our life.
We pray today for those who are in the planting with tears season of life. Give them hope. Give them the reassurance of your presence. Give them confidence that you will work all things together for good. O Lord, may their season of sad planting end. May their time of joyful harvesting come soon. Amen.
Repentance has led me to be free of depression. When I acknowledged my sin of anger and jealousy towards someone, I was brought out of depression, and the joy of the Lord returned. He truly is my Savior. Blessings in Jesus' love.
ReplyDeleteA season of tears… a period to rest and re-evaluate…a drawing closer to the presence of God. All of these phrases would describe my current walk with the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI have encountered a stumbling block in my parenting and I have no other recourse than to cry out to the Lord. In a recent trial with my college-aged daughter, I had to pray that depression and anxiety would be lifted away from her. I was on my knees daily, sometimes several times a day, praying the rosary and sobbing for some direction, some healing.
The Lord sent me Psalm 57. He sent my daughter the same passage at the same time — an answer to prayers. Specifically, what spoke to me was Psalm 57:7, which says, “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!”
Such words encourage me to stay the course and not worry so much. I am reassured that the Lord is hearing not only my prayers, but those of my child. He is telling me to keep my eyes fixed on Him. I can let Him take care of the plan in His perfect timing. In the meanwhile, He would like me to approach Him with a little more cheer and trust.
Psalm 126 is such a passage of praise and trust too. The Lord has indeed done such great things for me — although I feel as though I walk in a long and dark valley sometimes, I know that God is still there. I know that He waits for me to turn to Him. There is a good and perfect plan for my children, but also for me, even in my mid-life.
Especially during Advent, I hope to prepare my heart for the arrival of our Savior. I want to be wiped clean of confusion, and radiate trust, joy, and humility. May I be ready to receive Him with a transformed spirit. Amen.