Psalm for Sunday, November 1, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 24:  1-2, 3-4, 5-6   (Read)

“Who may go up the mountain of the Lord?                                                                      Who can stand in HIs holy place?"

 


This Sunday's Psalm is about a journey to 
a holy place.   It is a place where we will meet 
the Lord.   But we are asked, “Who can ascend 
the mountain of the Lord?  Who may stand in 
His holy place?” 

Our psalmist answers, “The clean of hand and  
pure of heart, who has not given his soul 
to what is vain, such is the people that seeks 
the face of God.”

We are all unworthy to be in the Lord's 
presence, but at least we can cleanse 
ourselves through confession, and bathe 
in the Word.  That is how we show our love 
for the Lord.

Though we may not have to climb a mountain 
to meet the Lord, we must prepare to receive 
Him in our hearts.  The Psalm is guiding us to
prepare ourselves from within, so that we are
made ready to receive Him when He comes.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm asks, "Who can go up to the mountain of the Lord?   
How do you prepare yourself to ascend the mountain of the Lord and 
stand in His holy place?

2.  The Response this Sunday is, "Lord, this is the people that longs 
to see your face."   Describe the longing in your heart for our Lord. 

Psalm for Sunday, October 25, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 18: 2-3, 3-4, 47, 51   (Read)

“The Lord Lives!”

The Psalm is saying that 
the Lord is present to us, 
here and now, just as 
He was when He delivered 

our psalmist David from his 
persecutors.

The really key revelation for 
us is that the Lord lives.  
He lives among us; He is 
present in the Word.  Jesus 
is in fact the Living Word.  
He is present on the inside 
of us through the Holy Spirit.  
He is alive in the Eucharist. 

He humbled himself to share 
in our humanity, so that 
we might have a share in 
His divinity!

So Jesus is alive and well, standing 

by us as our “rock of refuge, our 

shield, our saving horn.”  We join 

with David in praising God and loving 

Him with all our heart and all our mind, 

as Jesus reminds us to do in the Gospel.

(Matthew 22: 37)

How do we apply the Psalm's verses to 

our lives?  We turn to our Lord to equip 

us for the battles that we fight against the 

evil one.  Jesus becomes our fortress!

In this Psalm we hear David, crying out 

to the Lord, as one cries out to his savior.

“My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, 

the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” 
David has just emerged after being saved 

by God from his enemies.  David has been 

rescued by that same God of compassion 

and mercy that is present to us.

David praises his savior in language that 

is familiar to us as his spiritual descendants,

“The Lord lives!  Blessed be my rock! 

Exalted be God my savior!”

For David has been delivered from the 

forces of evil that surrounded him.

And that same deliverance is available to

us, so long as we surrender ourselves 

to God and love God with all of our heart 

and soul and strength.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm affirms for us that our Lord lives!  Tell of how the Lord is present 
to you in your daily life.  How does He reveal Himself to you?

2.  Our psalmist extols God our Savior, and speaks of the Lord as the horn 
of salvation.  When and how do you turn to the Lord as your rock of refuge?

Psalm for Sunday, October 18, 2020

Reflections  

Psalm 96:  1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10   (Read)

“Awesome is He; give to the Lord the glory due His name!”

The Psalm is a message to Israel’s neighbors, and to the rest of the world, that there is one true God.  “Tell God’s glory among the nations; among all peoples God's marvelous deeds."

The Israelites have returned from exile and have been brought back from near death as a people.   The remnant has survived, and the Israelites have been delivered by the one and only God.  

And so they sing a “new song,” celebrating the
“newness of God” that comes with the joy of 
praising Him as sovereign.  “Sing to the Lord a 
new song; sing to the Lord, all you lands.” 
As the Psalm says, we are all summoned to 
adoration of our sovereign.  We are called 
to give Him glory and praise.

In the 1st reading the prophet Isaiah confirms 
there is no other God besides Him. (Isaiah 45: 5)
The gods of other nations are mere idols, and they 
all do nothing, says our psalmist.  But our God made 
the heavens; He is to be praised and feared. 

And how do we praise Him?
How do we give the Lord the glory due His name? 
We engage in works of faith; we undertake a labor 
of love for Him, as St. Paul tells us in today's 
2nd reading. (1 Thessalonians 1: 3)

All peoples are invited to recognize our God,
and pledge to obey Him.  “Say among the nations, 
“The Lord is King; the world will surely stand fast, 
never to be shaken.”   

And having acknowledged that God is sovereign, 
how should we and all the nations behave?  
The Gospel tells us how --  Jesus says,
“Repay to God what belongs to God.” (Matthew 22: 21)
And we understand our calling,
“Give to the Lord the glory due His name!” 

Amen
 

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm exhorts us to "Sing to the Lord a new song."  
How does your song go when you sing praise to God?  What 
do you have to say to the Lord?

2.  Our psalmist encourages us to "Give the Lord glory and honor."  
We are called to give glory to God in the works of faith that we do.  
Speak of how you give God the glory in what you do.

Psalm for Sunday, October 11, 2020

Reflections

Psalm 23: 1-3, 3-4, 5, 6  (Read)

“I shall dwell in the house of the Lord 

all the days of my life.”

It is said that this wonderful prayer 

was written at the end of King David’s 

life. We are with David as he passes 

from death to life on God’s holy 

mountain.

Isaiah says the Lord will provide 

a feast of rich food and choice wines 

on His holy mountain. (Isaiah 25: 6)

Our psalmist tells us, 

“The Lord prepares a table before me;

He anoints my head with oil, 

my cup runneth over.”

Isaiah says that God wipes away our 

tears.  King David tells us, 

“Even though I walk through the valley 

of death, I shall fear no evil,  for you are 

with me.” 

What greater companion 

would we want as we face death?

St Paul agrees  --  his strength comes 

from the Lord, through Jesus, who 

empowers him.   (Philippians 4:13)

This is the same Lord who shepherds 

us in the Psalm.  

“He restores my soul.” 

David sets the tone for what is to come --  

Jesus becomes the good Shepherd, 

leads us beside still waters,

guides us along the right path.

With the Good Shepherd as our guide, 

if we walk with Him, we are sure to be 

among the chosen ones, and we are 

sure to be clothed in the right clothing

when we arrive on God’s holy mountain.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  King David, our psalmist, is confident that he will dwell in God's house for all 

the days of his life.  What draws you to God's heavenly mansions and what gives 

you confidence that you will live there?

2.  The Psalm's verses reassure us that we are God's sheep and our Lord is our 

Good Shepherd.  Are you one of His sheep, and in what way are you gaining repose 

in His pastures?