Reflections
“Come, says my heart, seek God’s face;
Your face, Lord, do I seek!”
Our psalmist, David, puts into words
what we feel in our hearts, which is
to seek a right relationship with
the Lord. We are drawn to the Lord;
we wish to speak to Him face to face,
to be in His presence, to listen to
His Word, and to serve Him faithfully.
We may not have the faith of Abraham
(Genesis 15:6), but we know that
a right relationship with the Lord is
key for us, because without that close
relationship, we have little chance
of salvation. Our psalmist knows the
critical importance of salvation,
“Do not forsake me, God, my savior.”
Few of us will be able to speak directly
with God, but God makes himself
accessible to us through His Son, Jesus.
And in this Sunday's 2nd reading,
St Paul promises that our own bodies
will be changed, to conform with Christ’s
glorified body. (Philippians 3:21)
This is how our own personal transfiguration
takes place.
What can we do to be sure we share in
Christ’s glory? St Paul tells the brothers
in Philippi, “Stand firm in the Lord.”
And our psalmist agrees, “Wait for the Lord,
take courage, be stouthearted, wait for
the Lord.”
What better way for us to stand firm in
the Lord than to commune with Him in
prayer, to worship Him, to be transformed
by Him, as were those disciples that day
when Jesus was transfigured on the
mountain. (Luke 9:29) Having been
transformed, we, like the disciples,
will be emboldened in our faith --
“Of whom should I be afraid?”
In our day to day battles against evil forces,
we need not fear anyone, for He is our refuge.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist seeks God's face. Does your heart seek a right
relationship with the Lord? Speak of how you are drawn to the Lord,
and how He makes himself accessible to you.
2. The season of Lent can be a time of transformation for us. But we
cannot change our hearts by ourselves; we all need the Lord's help,
as does our psalmist, 'You are my helper; cast me not off.' Tell of how
you are becoming a better person with the help of the Lord.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?”
ReplyDeleteWe do believe that faith always lives in the midst of our fears, but it is that same faith that knows, “When the trial comes, our faith will prove invincible, because it relies on the power of God.”
And the final power of God will finally be made manifest in weakness, on a cross.
So, there are two kinds of fears, and they are quite different, though it is often hard to distinguish between them, because they get all wrapped up in each other.
First, there are the real fears, as when David has an enemy encamped around him, or when you are in the midst of a pandemic or a war. These are real fears.
But there is also a kind of fear that is not real. It holds some kind of power over us, and it is not attached to a specific threat. This kind of generalized fear is not good for us.
It makes us less than who God wants us to be. It robs us of dignity and courage, and makes us act in ways that are not worthy of us.
So here we are in Lent, the season of self-examination and repentance.
During lent we need to figure out those fears that keep us from being who God has made us to be. Identify them, name them, and call their bluff, because they really have no actual power over us .
Because Jesus defeated the powers that threaten us, including our unreal fears.
He took them all to the cross with him, and there they died with him. And believing that is a good part of what makes us Christians.
For the real power in the world is the power of the living God, that we are called to live out of day by day, even in those fearful times when we can’t see it or feel it.
“The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?
Every Lent, I set personal goals of transformation. Some I announce out loud, often lightheartedly, so others can hold me accountable. Other goals form and take shape in the deepest part of my interior self... my heart of hearts. God resides with me there, and only I can hold myself to account. He guides and encourages me to truly seek Him. As the Psalm says, "Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, 'Seek my face. My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord, do I seek.' Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Cast me not off, forsake me not, O God of my salvation!" (V.7-9)
ReplyDeleteLike Abraham in the first reading, in some instances, my heart is ready with faith in God's promises. But other times, I am like the father of the boy with the mute spirit. In Mark 9:23-34, he asks Jesus if he can do anything, to have pity, and to help. Jesus challenges the father, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes. Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief.'"
I know that the Lord takes pleasure in seeing me grow -- to embrace the unloveable, to forgive those who have hurt me, to bless my enemies, to allow others to shine while I remain unnoticed, and so forth. But some of these tasks He sets before me are too difficult. I wrestle. I flee. I pretend not to understand.
I also know that He can help my unbelief. He can cause me to desire what He desires. To actually want to obey! Most of the time, I am stuck in the "Help me want to obey you..." or even "Help me to want to want to obey you..." as taken from a recent "Blessed is She" devotional. A wise friend phrases it as "I pray for the desire, for the desire, for the desire to do the will of God."
Either way, isn't it amazing that God is patient with the process? He delights in me just TRYING to seek His face. And so, I take up the cross of my transformation, yet again. And challenge myself to want, want, want... desire, desire, desire... pray pray pray, for what HE does.
The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?
ReplyDeleteThe Lord is the stronghold of my life — whom shall I fear ?
I recall the tough times of my physical illness. I could not lead a normal life during my mid-60’s. I had to see doctors in many fields. I was also referred to herbal doctors and those who were practicing acupuncture. I was so desperate that I kept looking for the right doctor who would know the roots of my disease.
I even asked a Protestant minister to pray over me. I was so frightened to hear I might be possessed by an evil spirit. He tried to convert my Catholic faith into Protestant faith. I had some fellowship with them before, and I thought we were sisters and brothers in the name of Jesus.
As days went by I was overwhelmed with helpless, miserable feelings.
Furthermore my heart was filled with a fear of death. I felt as if I was totally abandoned by God. How come ?
Out of desperation I cried out, "Let me live for 5 more years.”
My Catholic faith was not wavering, but my confidence in God was getting weakened. I felt I needed an assurance from God.
At the right moment I started to read Psalm 27. “The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?"
Our psalmist David assured me, “The Lord is my light and salvation even though I walk through the darkness.” I see that our psalmist’s assurance comes from his experience of hardship with king Saul and also from his
rebellious son Absalom. David was threatened with death.
And yet he was confident that God would deliver him.
He sought God’s face and waited for the Lord who was able to transform him in the time of trial.
David resisted the evil forces because he knew God was his refuge.
In those days of my sickness Psalm 27 comforted me a great deal. I recited the verses several times daily, “The Lord is my light and my salvation - - whom shall I fear?” Those encouraging words gave me strength to overcome my illness. Our Merciful God extended my life and sustains my life this far. How thankful I am. He heard me and answered my prayer.
My thought was the same as David’s — it’s worth waiting for God, who will transform us into an image of him in a time of suffering. Now I cling to God more and seek his face more and seek his presence, always wishing to dwell in the house of the Lord.
Accordingly I realize my medicine for healing physically and spiritually is God’s word. None of my doctors cured me.
I still cling to the words, “The Lord is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear?"
I have experienced the goodness of God towards human being’s suffering and oppression.