Psalm for Sunday, October 4, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 80:  9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20   (Read)

"O Lord, take care of this vine."  

The Psalm is a prayer to restore the Israelites to God’s vineyard.   
The chosen people have lost God’s protection; God has removed 
the hedge that He put up around them.

“God brought a vine out of Egypt and planted it.”  But what kind 
of fruit did God’s vineyard bear?  The prophet Isaiah says in 
our 1st reading that despite all of God’s efforts, nothing but wild
grapes was produced. (Isaiah 5:2)    And so God broke down the
vineyard’s walls, letting, “The boar strip the vine, and the beast 
feed upon it.” 

There is a message here for all of us who do not bear fruit or 
use our resources wisely.  We could lose God’s protection, 
and we may not be able to defend ourselves from the evil one 
that prowls around like a roaring lion. 

We, like the psalmist, need to beg for God’s mercy.
“Turn again, O Lord of hosts, attend to this vine.”
If we’re not careful, the kingdom will be taken away 
from us, as it was in the Gospel, and given to a people
that will produce its fruit.  (Matthew 21: 43)  
We, like the Israelites, need to be restored.  The Psalm's
verses pray, “Give us new life,  and we will call on your name.”

Where does our hope for revival come from?
It comes from our Savior, sent by the Lord, our cornerstone,
“The son of man whom God himself made strong.”
In Him we are restored. As the Psalm says, “Lord of hosts 
restore us; let your face shine upon us, 
that we may be saved.”

Amen 
 

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm says, “Lord, take care of this vine; then we will no more withdraw 
from you.  Give us new life, and we will call upon your name.”  Have you noticed 
at times when we stray off His path how the Lord tugs at each of us so that 
we return to His ways.   Give an example from your own experience.

2.  Our psalmist is writing about the scattered people of Israel, but his words may 
apply to each of us in our separation from God.   In what way are you inspired by the 
Psalm's verses to repent and seek renewal?

Psalm for Sunday, September 27, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 25:  4-5, 6-7, 8-9    (Read)

“Good and upright is the Lord, 
who shows sinners the way.” 

We are blessed to have a God 
who 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 share in 
His divinity.  Who else would 
have such regard for sinners, 

for believers who disobey Him?

The Lord is talking to all of us 
here; we are all sinners.  
Jesus was criticized for 
consorting with sinners, 
but He replied that 

the sick (people like us) 

are the ones who need a 
physician.  We are all able 
to benefit from the healing 
power of Jesus.

Our psalmist says,  “Make known 
to me your ways, Lord; 

teach me your paths.” 
The prophet Ezekiel, in Sunday's
first reading, tells us that 
if we follow the Lord's way,

we will be able to turn away 
from sin and avoid death.

(Ezekiel 18: 31)

The psalmist prays to God, 

“Remember no more the sins 
of my youth; remember me only 
in light of your love.”  

And in Sunday's Gospel,  
Jesus tells us how a young 
man became right with God 
after having disobeyed Him.   
(Matthew 21: 31)

And where does the power come from 

to turn away from sin?  

It comes from the Lord, “He shows 
sinners the way.”   It is He who 
encourages us when our tongues confess, 

“The Lord guides the humble rightly, 

and teaches the humble the way.”

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  As the Psalm says, our Lord shows us sinners the way; we pray that 
He will teach us His paths.   What leads you to follow the Lord's truth?

2.  Our psalmist petitions God to remember not the psalmist's frailties or 
the sins of his youth.   How is the Lord's compassion shown in your life?

Psalm for Sunday, September 20, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 145:  2-3, 8-9, 17-18   (Read)


“Great is the Lord and highly to be praised.”

When we reflect on what God has done for us, we remember that God has always done good things for us.  That is God's nature.  As the Psalm says, "His greatness is unsearchable."  And so we pray this psalm to bless, praise, and exalt the heavenly Father in His perfection and in His works.

Our psalmist dwells on the everlasting nature 
of God, on His love and presence throughout 
all time, and we are called to praise the Lord 
forever and ever.  Our psalmist reminds us, 
“The Lord is good to all and compassionate 
toward all His works.”  We know this inherently 
because we live our lives within an unending 
stream of divine love.

“The Lord is near to all who call upon him.” 
His presence is shown in the help, nourishment, 
and salvation that He shows to us.  The prophet 
Isaiah urges us, “Seek the Lord while He may be 
found, call Him while He is near.”
(Isaiah 55: 6)

We praise God because of His divine attributes
of compassion and love.  And fortunately for us, 
the Son shares fully in these divine attributes. 
So we also sing this psalm in honor of Christ our 
Savior, who shares fully in the perfection of God,
and in the works of the Father,

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist assures us, 'The Lord is near to all who call upon Him.'   
This verse requires us to make the extra effort to reach out to God if we 
want to be in His presence.  Tell of how you have reached out to the Lord 
and what has been the result.

2.  The Psalm calls upon us to praise His name forever and ever.
Say how you go about praising the Lord in your daily life.  Give examples.

Psalm for Sunday, September 13, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12  (Read)

"Not according to our sins
does He deal with us."

                                                             

Our psalmist sings the praises

of a divine and loving God, 

who surrounds us with 
compassion, pardons our sins, 
heals our ills.

He nurses no lasting anger,

He has not dealt with us as our 
sins deserve.  Our duty is to
remain faithful to the Lord, 

as we are His children,

and to treat His anointed ones 

with love and compassion, 
as He would do.

We are to be merciful to our enemies 
by imitating the Father.  The Psalm 
tells us how:  

“Merciful and gracious is the Lord,

Slow to anger and abounding in kindness.”

Who can love their enemies, and do good 
to them?  It will be difficult if we allow our 
earthly nature to rule us.  Just as “God 
has not dealt with us as our sins merit,”

so must we have compassion on those

we may be inclined to condemn.

We cannot imitate God without a share 
in Christ’s divinity, by allowing the Holy 
Spirit within us to guide us.  Only then 
will we have the kind of compassion 

the psalmist speaks about.

As the Psalm says, God’s love towers over us

if we are his faithful.

If we love the Lord, it will show in our hearts,

and the old things will then pass away.

The Psalm says it well:

As far as the east is from the west, 

so far has He put our transgressions behind us.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection


1.  Our Psalm speaks of a loving and compassionate God,
who does not deal with us according to our sins.   Are you able
to treat those who have harmed you in the same way?  Explain.

2.  The verses of the Psalm remind us of the power of the
Sacrament of Reconciliation, "As far as the east is from the west,
so far has He put our transgressions behind us."  Relate how the
Sacrament works for you to put your sins behind you.