Reflections
“As the heavens tower over the earth,
so God's mercy towers over those
who fear Him.”
Our psalmist sings the praises of a
divine and loving God, who surrounds
us with compassion, pardons our sins,
heals our ills.
God will deliver us as He delivered the
Israelites from their affliction at the hands
of the Egyptians. (Exodus 3:7-8)
“God delivers your life from the pit,
surrounds you with love and compassion.”
God nurses no lasting anger, He has not
dealt with us as our sins deserve.
But God demands something of us
in return – that we cleanse ourselves
from evil desires and avoid sin.
St Paul warns us, “Whoever thinks
he is standing secure should take care
not to fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Jesus says it more powerfully in today's
Gospel, “If you do not repent, you will
all perish.” (Luke 13:5)
The Lord’s patience with us is a gift –
“Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness.”
Our duty is to remain faithful to the Lord,
as 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 Jesus. 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
Psalm speaks about.
And as our psalmist says, God’s love will
tower 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.
What could be a better lesson for our
Lenten journey.
Amen
so God's mercy towers over those
who fear Him.”
Our psalmist sings the praises of a
divine and loving God, who surrounds
us with compassion, pardons our sins,
heals our ills.
God will deliver us as He delivered the
Israelites from their affliction at the hands
of the Egyptians. (Exodus 3:7-8)
“God delivers your life from the pit,
surrounds you with love and compassion.”
God nurses no lasting anger, He has not
dealt with us as our sins deserve.
But God demands something of us
in return – that we cleanse ourselves
from evil desires and avoid sin.
St Paul warns us, “Whoever thinks
he is standing secure should take care
not to fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Jesus says it more powerfully in today's
Gospel, “If you do not repent, you will
all perish.” (Luke 13:5)
The Lord’s patience with us is a gift –
“Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness.”
Our duty is to remain faithful to the Lord,
as 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 Jesus. 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
Psalm speaks about.
And as our psalmist says, God’s love will
tower 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.
What could be a better lesson for our
Lenten journey.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist assures us that God in His compassion will redeem our life
from the 'pit.' But we must do our part and show repentance. Describe how
during Lent you are becoming kinder and more merciful to your family and
your neighbors.
2. The Psalm inspires us to bless the Lord and 'forget not all His benefits.'
Speak of your gratitude for the gifts you have received from God.
1. Our psalmist assures us that God in His compassion will redeem our life
from the 'pit.' But we must do our part and show repentance. Describe how
during Lent you are becoming kinder and more merciful to your family and
your neighbors.
2. The Psalm inspires us to bless the Lord and 'forget not all His benefits.'
Speak of your gratitude for the gifts you have received from God.
As the Holy Spirit has helped me see my own sins I have been much more accepting and loving towards my children. The Spirit reveals the truth of who I am through His all powerful word. I am most grateful to Jesus for leaving me His Spirit, my comforter. The gifts of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 are what I am thankful for. The Mighty One has done great things for me.
ReplyDeleteIn the stresses of daily life, it's important to take a break and think about all the benefits of belonging to Christ—all the blessings and the sometimes-forgotten enrichment that God provides for his children.
ReplyDeleteVerse 3 says that he forgives all our iniquities. So each night, I bless the Lord and ask him to forgive the iniquities of the day—the sins that I've accepted from my culture: gossip, a critical spirit, gluttony of worldly goods. Every night, God is faithful and just to forgive my sins and to gift me again with his righteousness. He provides me with the power of the Holy Spirit so that my life does not have to continue in its sinful patterns.
Another benefit we can depend on is the healing of our diseases (v. 3). Although God sometimes heals in different ways than we've asked for and on a different timetable, he does heal.
The benefits God allows us are numerous. Our task is to remember and to bless the source, to fill our days with gratitude and praise, to turn our eyes away from the struggles of this life, and to remember whose we are.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. Thank you for your forgiveness and redemption, O God. Help me to be satisfied with the goodness that you have given me. Let your Holy Spirit blow in my heart so that I can hear the truth that is spoken in this Psalm. In Jesus’ blessed name I pray. Amen.
How often I find myself in the pit... of depression, self-pity, greed, idolatry, and selfishness. I see sin all around me and in me. Usually, I tell myself and my children, that the way out of these pits of life is gratitude. If we take regular stock of our blessings, then a miraculous step-ladder forms in front of us, allowing us to climb out and into victorious living. Even secular sources shout messages such as "A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles."
ReplyDeleteOnce we are out of the pit though, God asks of our participation in return. He wants our "yes" to his will and our heartfelt repentance, where needed. And where is it needed? I think each of us knows where we have sinned. We know what God is calling us to work on, especially during Lent. I am not sure if I am kinder, but overall, I think I am dwelling more on the concept of "mercy." I am truly putting myself in another's shoes, before I respond or pass judgment. In this way, I am slower to anger and can almost see even the unlovely in my life, as precious to God.
I am allowing myself to be immersed in His perfect mercy, completely undeserved. Yet overflowing for me.
One way God’s mercy is shown upon me as I approach Him, is a newfound thirst for extra prayers, and extra mediators. Just this week, He sent me this one, at the perfect time of course. Taken from a prayer written by St. Bernard of Clairvaux:
In dangers and doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary. Call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips. Never suffer it to leave your heart, that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer. Neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for a guide, you shall never go astray. While invoking her, you shall never lose heart. So long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception. When she holds your hand, you cannot fall. Under her protection, you have nothing to fear. If she walks before you, you shall not grow weary. If she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.”
These words gave me extraordinary comfort this week, as I faced some parenting challenges with my young adult children. Praise His Holy Name for sending me what I need, in His great mercy.