Reflections
“This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad.”Jesus’ risen presence among us
is living proof of God’s enduring love.
As the psalmist says, “God’s love endures
forever.” The Lord’s deliverance is cause
for joy. Just when we were down, the Lord
raises us up. The joyful shout of deliverance
is heard. We are on firm ground after all –
Christ has become our cornerstone.
In the Psalm we read in advance of the
Paschal Mystery. Christ, who is rejected
and then exalted, becomes the foundation
stone of the new People of God --
“I shall not die, but live and declare the
works of the Lord.” This is Jesus speaking
about His own resurrection and about His
food, which is to do the work of the Father.
The Psalm says, “The right hand of the
Lord has struck with power; the right hand
of the Lord is exalted.” Our days of mocking
our Savior are over; we no longer hurl insults
at Him.
Our Savior has risen. “By the Lord has this
been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.”
“The joyful shout of deliverance is heard in
the tents of the victors.” The Psalm celebrates
a great victory over death. This victory is
delivered by the Lord’s right hand, a clear
notice in advance of the power of the Son of God.
Our risen Savior has defeated death and the
grasp that sin has on us. And having been saved,
what are we to do? What is our commission?
St Peter tells us in today's first reading, “He
commissioned us to preach to the people and
testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God.”
(Acts 10:42)
Christ has become our cornerstone. “The stone
the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
Christ has become a source of strength for us,
despite his apparent weakness that day on the cross,
when He died a shameful death. Only the Lord
could have done this remarkable thing:
“This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad.”
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. The Psalm speaks of a great victory over death, 'I shall not die, but live.'
Tell of how you share in Christ's victory over death and what this means to you.
2. Having been saved from death, the psalmist says he will 'declare the works of
the Lord.' Speak of how you are empowered by our Lord's resurrection to go forth and proclaim the Gospel.
On Easter Sunday, the church proclaims, “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”
ReplyDeleteJesus Christ is risen. And in Christ, we too shall rise. God’s steadfast love endures forever!
Our hope in God is strong because we have Christ as our cornerstone. He has made a way for us to be perfectly united to God, He has rescued us from our ultimate enemy of sin, He has been our true help!
Because Christ is on our side we have nothing to fear!
Christ is the perfect demonstration of the goodness and sovereignty of God. The cross itself speaks to this. For, the crucifixion was God’s “definite plan” and every detail of it was foreknown by God before it happened, His sovereignty delivered Christ up for crucifixion. And this happened because God is good and loves sinful man. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” (John 3:16).
The dual attributes of sovereignty and goodness invite our trust. God can do all things and He can work all things for our good because He is good. Such news leads the Psalmist to be able to rejoice in whatever comes because each day is made by the good and sovereign hand of the Lord. Even when foes surround him he will say:
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Can we say the same? Have we cultivated such trust in God in our own life?
Just as the Psalmist was delivered by God, so now Christ empowers us, comforts us, and snatches us out of the realm of death. All this is done, so that we might proclaim the deeds of the Lord. Easter is the day which the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!