Reflections
Psalm 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4 (Read)
“The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.”
“Break into song, sing praise.”
The Lord makes all things new, and we are a new creation,
the work of His hands. And so it is right that
we sing a 'new song' to the Lord,
who has done marvelous things for us.
“The Lord has made His salvation known;
in the sight of the nations He has revealed his justice.”
For us this can be about Jesus' victory
over death and sin, so that we might live.
And how is salvation obtained?
How is the victory won?
It is won by God's Holy arm,
His son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
Victory is obtainable for us too,
if we keep the faith, give thanks to God, and praise Him.
Our Psalm exclaims,
“All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”
This verse, and today's 1st reading
confirm that the gift of the Holy Spirit
is for us Gentiles too. (Acts 10:44-45)
For we are called to be baptized
in the name of Christ.
And as Jesus says in today's Gospel,
“It was not you who chose me,
but I who chose you.” (John 15:16)
We too are appointed by Him
to go forth and bear fruit,
to remain in the love of the Lord,
and to do His will.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our Psalm Response is, "The Lord has revealed to the nations his
saving power." How has the Lord shown his saving power to you personally?
2. Our Psalm speaks of singing a new song, of singing joyfully to the Lord,
and we are urged to break into song and sing praise. What is it about your faith
and the Easter season that makes you want to sing praise to the Lord?
Psalm 98 celebrates the reign of God as king over everything. It calls on us to make noise – to sing and shout because of how amazing and good God is. This particular Psalm goes all in on this, not only calling for us to sing and to use instruments, but also to recruit the sea and everything in it, and the hills and everything on them, to roar. The goal is thunderous applause for God.
ReplyDeletePsalm 98 emphasizes on the idea of a “new song” in response to God’s intervention or to the change in situation and attitude. A person who has had either their circumstances or their hearts (or both) changed by God can sing a different song.
We would like today to claim what God has entrusted to us in both our spiritual gifts and physical provision, we recognize that all of it is God’s work in and through us. Therefore we are encouraged to shout joyfully, and to break forth in song with the sound of the harp, the trumpet, and the horn. After centuries and centuries of being trapped in sin, all of creation is set free, and no longer will Satan be allowed to oppress us, again.
No matter what the season, I enjoy singing praises to the Lord. There is something about song that centers my soul... it is a prayer, a musical prayer, rising to the Lord like sweet incense. Musical prayer has a way of changing around my mood and lifting me up.
ReplyDeleteWhen we sing to the Lord ¨a new song ¨we are proclaiming the power of the New Covenant. In the unseen world, we are fiercely chasing away the enemy who would have us forget about Jesus. Jesus came to break the chains of death in the Old Covenant, with its effects of the Fall and leaders who are consumed with rules and laws for the Jewish nation.
Jesus comes with freedom and salvation for all peoples, Jew and Gentile. Verse 4 says, ¨Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth... break forth into joyous song and sing praises!¨ How could the Psalmist know to write this hundreds of years before Christ?
The answer lies in the core message of this week´s readings and the very reason we believe. God is love. He has loved us from the very beginning, knowing that we would sin. He planned from the beginning that his beloved son would come and rescue us. And he asks that we love each other, as he has shown us to do.
1. Through the Church, at Mass especially when I receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
ReplyDelete2. For me the Easter Season is a joyous reminder of when Jesus came to me personally many years ago and baptized me in the Holy Spirit. He pulled me out of depression and lifted me up into His loving arms.