Psalm for Sunday, February 4, 2024

Reflections
 

Psalm 147: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6   (Read)

“Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.”                                                                 

 

The Psalm says that the Lord “rebuilds Jerusalem” 
and “heals the brokenhearted, binds up our wounds.”

There is comfort in these words for all of us.  The Psalm 
points to the healing power of Jesus, our Lord and Savior,
which is depicted in this week’s Gospel.  (Mark 1:29-39)

We too can be rebuilt from the inside out by the promise 
of our Lord's salvation.  It is surely by the grace of God
that we are made well.  It is God's grace that drives the 
demons out of us; there is no room in our hearts for both 
the Holy Spirit and the demons.  And we obtain God's grace
from the sacraments, which empower us to be well physically,
emotionally, and spiritually.

There is even hope for someone beaten down like Job,
whom we hear about in Sunday's 1st reading. (Job 7:1-4, 6-7)
Like Job we may be poor in spirit, but it is at our moment 
of greatest weakness that the Lord will call us by name –
“He numbers all the stars, calls each of them by name.”

Having put our trust in the Lord, He will sustain us, 
“The Lord sustains the lowly.”  Once we realize that the Lord 
takes care of the lowly (for we are His sheep), we can not help
but praise God, preach the Gospel, and boast in our faith as 
does St Paul. (1 Corinthians 9:16-18, 23)
Our Psalmist says it well – “How good to sing praise to God;
how pleasant to give fitting praise.”

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm response this Sunday is, 'Praise the Lord, who heals 
the brokenhearted.'  Explain how the verses of the Psalm give you hope 
that the Lord will 'bind up your wounds.'

2.  Our psalmist says that the Lord 'calls each of the stars by name.'
Does this verse give you comfort that our Creator also knows your name
and seeks you out despite the infinite size of the universe? What does this
verse mean to you?

Psalm for Sunday, January 28, 2024

 

Reflections

Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-7, 7-9   (Read)

“If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

Today's Psalm is about obeying and worshiping 

God.  We are urged to bow down in worship before 

our God, whose sheep we are (remember we are His 

well-tended flock).  We are instructed to be alert for 

His voice and to be receptive to His teachings 

(we need to be good listeners).

We are not to harden our hearts or test the Lord 

(as the Israelites did at Meribah).

We are to humble ourselves and open our hearts 

to the Lord; having done so we are set free.

Then we are no longer constrained by the 

things of this world, and we can be open to His love 

and His teachings.  

Moses prophesied that the Lord would speak to us 

through one of our own kind (Deuteronomy 18:18).

So we had better listen to God’s son, Jesus, who 

became one of us so that we could be more like Him.

His works should be sufficient to convince us of His

saving power and grace.

St Paul tells us we need to be free from anxiety and 

distractions (1 Corinthians 7:32).  This is not an easy 

thing to do when we are caught up in the things of the 

world.  We would all benefit from an authoritative 

cleansing of our hearts, and a removal of unclean 

forces that distract us from praising the Lord.  

Then we can make room for Jesus to fill our hearts 

and remain in us.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist encourages us not to harden our hearts if we hear God's voice.   

Do you find it difficult sometimes to carry out God's will in your life even if you believe He is speaking to you?   Give an example.

2.  The psalm reminds us that we are like sheep and the Lord is our shepherd.  
Are you willing to be just an ordinary sheep among His flock?  If so, what does it 

mean to you to be shepherded by the Lord?

Psalm for Sunday, January 21, 2024

Reflections                                                                               

Psalm 25:  4-5, 6-7, 8-9   (Read)

“Good and upright is the Lord, who shows sinners the way.”  
  
 












We are blessed to have a God who does not disregard us.  
On the contrary, He is a caring, compassionate God, 
willing to humble Himself to share in our humanity, so that 
we might share in His divinity.  Who else would have such 
regard for sinners, for believers who disobey Him?

Our psalmist David humbly offers up his sins to God 
his Savior, and waits for God’s guidance. “The Lord guides 
the humble rightly, and teaches the humble His way.”

In today's Gospel the early disciples leave their nets 
and their families behind when Jesus calls out 
to them. (Mark 1:16-20)   Jesus had a plan for His 
disciples, when He singled them out to serve Him. 
God had a plan for Jonah as well (1st reading);
his mission was to warn the people of Nineveh
to repent and turn to the Lord.  (Jonah 3: 1-5)

St Paul, in our 2nd reading, has a similar message for 
all of us, that time is running out and any day now 
would be an acceptable day for us to focus on our own 
salvation. (1 Corinthians 7: 29-31)   The Lord is there 
to guide us, as He was in the days of David, our psalmist.

Whether it's through a Jonah in our midst or a Saint Paul,
the message of the Lord is clear – “Repent and believe 
in the Gospel.”  We may not be able to do this on our own,
but as our psalmist says, “The Lord shows sinners the way.”

The Lord is talking to all of us here; we are all sinners.
We are all able to benefit from the healing power of Jesus.
And where does the power come from to turn away from sin? 
It comes from the Lord,  It is He who encourages us when 
our tongues confess, “Remember no more the sins of my youth; 
remember me only in light of your love.” 

Amen 

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist petitions the Lord, 'Teach me your ways.'  
How do you go about learning the ways of the Lord?  Tell how 
the verses of the Psalm help you understand the ways of the Lord.

2.  Our Psalm says the Lord 'shows sinners the way.'  Give an example of how you have been guided by the Lord to turn away from sin and repent.

Psalm for Sunday, January 14, 2024

Reflections

Psalm 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10   (Read)

“Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.”

The Psalm is a prayer of gratitude
and of obedience to the Lord.
Our psalmist David answers God’s call
when he says, “Here I am.” 
Young Samuel does the same
in our first reading. 
Samuel waits expectantly 
for the Lord to speak to him – 
he is ‘all ears’ 
when he hears the Lord’s voice.

He grows up serving the Lord
and following God. (1 Samuel 3: 3-10,19)

Our psalmist says,
“He put a new song into my mouth.”
For us too it is no longer the same old tune
or the same old we.   We are in fact 
a new creation, singing out the good news.

Where does our joyful spirit come from?
It comes from the Lord, and we are called
to share what He has given us and to do
His will, which is our delight.

In the Gospel reading (John 1:35-42),
Andrew recognizes Jesus as the anointed
and is drawn to Him.
Andrew and  his brother Simon 
truly become members of Christ's body.
They are joined to the Lord 
and have become one spirit with Him,
as St. Paul proclaims in our 2nd reading. 

(1 Corinthians 6:15,17)

We too are called to follow Christ
and to do His will.
Obedience isn’t an unpleasant chore for us;
instead as the Psalm tells us, 
“To do your will is my delight.”

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  In this beautiful Psalm our psalmist speaks of waiting, waiting for the Lord.   
Tell what it means to you to have waited for the Lord, and what has been the result of your presenting yourself to the Lord?

2.  Our psalmist is delighted to do God's will; he says to God, "Your law is within my heart!"   Have you also felt the Lord's pleasure when you obey Him and serve Him?  What does it mean to you to say God's law is within my heart?


  

Psalm for Sunday, January 7, 2024

Reflections 

Psalm 72: 1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13   (Read)

“Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.”

 

The Psalm is a prayer for our newborn King,

a Messiah who will be like the “rain coming 

down upon the fields, like showers watering 

the earth.”  Our psalmist prays that our 

newborn King will be anointed by God with 

divine judgment and empowered to rule the earth.

The prophet Isaiah in Sunday's first reading 

predicts that the light of the Lord will cause 

our hearts to overflow, and the riches of the sea 

to be emptied out before us. (Isaiah 60:5) 

Our psalmist also speaks of abundance 

that will flourish in the King's days. 

But the Messiah is among us, to do more than 

bless us materially; the Savior has come to make

our burdens easy, to share our afflictions. 

“The lives of the poor He shall save.”

We see the light, just as the prophet Isaiah said 

we would.  (Isaiah 60:1) 

In the Psalm, the mystery is revealed 

to us, poor in spirit though we are:

“He rescues the poor when they cry out [as we do],

the afflicted who have no one to help.”

This is what our Good Shepherd Jesus is sent to do, 

to shepherd God’s people. This is why we join the 

Magi in paying homage to our newborn King, and 

join with our psalmist in singing,

"Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.”

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist mentions 'afflicted ones' and 'the afflicted' in two 

of the Psalm's verses.  Are there times when you can identify yourself 

as an 'afflicted' one?   Tell what remedies are available to you that are 

mentioned in the Psalm.

2.  The Psalm says, 'Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.'   

Using the verses of the Psalm, explain why 'all kings' would want 

to pay homage to our Lord.