Monday, June 17, 2019

Psalm for Sunday, June 23, 2019


Reflections


“The Lord said to my Lord: 'Sit at my right 
hand till I make your enemies your footstool.'”

Our psalmist David speaks of the Messiah 
who is to come.   For us, the psalm is about 
the anointing of Jesus as our Savior, Jesus 
as the everlasting King and Priest.  Christ 
will take his throne at the right hand of God, 
as our psalmist predicts.   Christ will make 
his enemies his footstool.  He is able to do 
this because the Father has empowered 
Him to rule over his enemies.

And how does Christ's victory affect us 
earthly humans?  The truth is that we too are 
in the midst of the same spiritual battle that 
Christ has already fought.   And his victory 
means for us that we can be victors as well 
– victors, not victims.  And for that, we praise
God and give thanks to our King.

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of 
the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ  (Corpus 
Christi).  How is it that Jesus, anointed as the 
everlasting King and Priest, humbled himself to 
pour out his blood on the cross for us common 
sinners?  How is it that such a mighty King is 
willing to co-mingle his very flesh and blood with 
our own fallen flesh and blood?  All we can know 
is that God's plan intends that his perfect divine 
presence enters into our fallen, human presence 
and offers healing, wisdom, salvation,and hope. 
(Word Among Us)

How blessed we are that although we are not worthy 
to receive Him, He gives us angels' food, bread from 
heaven – “He fed them with the finest wheat and 
satisfied them with honey from the rock.” (Ps 81:17)

Our Lord is both shepherd and lamb to us, his well 
tended flock. As the Paschal Lamb, He spilled his 
lifeblood for us, feeding us as God sent manna to 
our spiritual fathers.  “Very bread, good shepherd, 
tend us, Jesus, You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food bestow.”  
(Sequence, Laud, O Zion)

How remarkable that our Lord, though seated 
at the right hand of the Father, comes down from
heaven so that we sinners might have a share in 
his divinity. “I am the living bread that came down 
from heaven, says the Lord; whoever eats this bread 
will live forever.” (Jn 6:51) 

We are inspired to offer our prayers of thanksgiving 
to our Lord --

“Grant O Lord, we pray,
that we may delight for all eternity
in that share in your divine life,
which is foreshadowed in the present age
by our reception of your precious Body and Blood.”
(Order of Mass, Prayer after Communion)

Amen
 

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm speaks of the anointing of Jesus as our Savior, who will rule 
in the midst of His enemies.  Tell of how you have relied on our Savior to fight 
your spiritual enemies on your behalf.

2.  With our Lord so powerful and seated at the right hand of the Father, does it 
surprise you that He would come down from heaven to mingle His precious body 
and blood with our human flesh and blood?  Explain
 

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