Psalm for Sunday, February 26, 2023

Reflections 
         (By J. Kim) 

Psalm 51: 3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17   (Read)

“A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me”

We are all born of a sinful nature.
Just as Adam and Eve fell to temptation 
in the Garden of Eden (this Sunday’s first 
reading, Genesis 3: 1-7), so too has God's 
chosen one (King David) fallen.
David, our psalmist,  is sincerely sorry for 
committing adultery and murder, two 
gravely  sinful acts which separate him
from our loving Father.

But God in his compassion and goodness 

can blot out David's offense, no matter how grave. 

David’s sins, like our own, are offensive to God
first and foremost – “Against you alone have
I sinned.”

David cries out to be rescued from his fate,

to be saved from death, which is a consequence
of his sins. David’s verses are a prayer of
repentance and recall for us the power of the
Sacrament of Confession. “A clean heart create
for me, O God; and a steadfast spirit renew
within me. Give me back the joy of your salvation.”
His words are prophetic and speak of God’s grace
that becomes available through Christ’s gift of
justification (Sunday's second reading, Romans 5: 15-19).

Our psalmist pleads with the Lord, "Have mercy on me, 

O God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion 
blot out my offense."    We are reminded here that no 
sin is too big for God to forgive.   And when we do fall 
into deep patterns of sin, we must realize that our 
wrongdoing isn't only against other people, but ultimately, 
it's rebellion against the Lord himself. "Against you alone 
have I sinned,"  is how David acknowledges this fact.  

God wants to have a close relationship with us, but 
unconfessed sin will always get in the way. We must 
not only confess our sins openly and sincerely, but 
we must work at "restoring the joy of salvation” in 
our hearts. 

Once we have rebuilt a solid foundation with God the Father,
no strong assault from Satan will penetrate.  We can have 
that very same "steadfastness of spirit" that David asks 
for in the Psalm and that Jesus displays in the Gospel.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist calls upon the Lord to renew within him a 'steadfast spirit.'  

Give an example of how our God has done a work in you so that you can  carry

your cross with endurance, trusting in God's strength.

2.  The Psalm's verses speak of how we offend God by our sins and separate
ourselves from His loving presence.   Tell of how, with the help of God's grace,
you are able to obtain a right relationship with the Lord, and regain the
'joy of your salvation.'