Psalm for Sunday, August 4, 2024

 Reflections

 Psalm 78: 3-4, 23-24, 25, 54   (Read)

“The Lord gave them bread from heaven.” 

Our Psalm this Sunday is once again 
about our spiritual and physical food
that we receive from the Lord.
Just as the Israelites of old were fed
when the Lord, “Rained down manna
upon them for food,” so too we are fed
today with the body and blood of our Savior
in the sacrament of the Eucharist.

But are we worthy?  Are we deserving
of this heavenly food, that comes to us
through the passion of our Lord,
the sacrifice of God's only Son? 
Over and over again our spiritual ancestors
turned away from God and were deceitful
despite the “glorious deeds of the Lord
and the wonders that he wrought” on their behalf.
Must we too be chastised before
we repent and turn back to God?

Our own history isn't much different
from that of our ancestors –
a cycle of divine grace; followed by ingratitude;
then punishment; then renewed generosity. 
We are obliged to repeat the history
of our ancestors, and in the end we are
at the mercy of God.  In fact, without His grace
where would we obtain our 'daily bread'?

Do we grumble until our prayers are answered? 
Do we persist in putting God to the test? 
Are we grateful for the food we receive
from the Lord?   Or are we quick to forget
what the Lord has done for us?

St Paul tells us that we really do need 
to repent and that we should, “Put away 
the old self of our former way of life, 
corrupted through deceitful desires, and 
put on the new self.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
And having repented, we are ready
to receive that precious bread from heaven. 
Like the crowd at Capernaum (John 6: 34-35),
we plead with Jesus to give of Himself
to us each day, so that we may eat of
the bread of life and never hunger again.

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.   Our psalmist promises, "We will declare to the generation 
to come the glorious deeds of the Lord."  What part have you played 
in passing on your faith to the next generation?

2.   Our Psalm speaks of the Lord  bringing His people to "His holy land, 
to the mountains His right hand has won."  What does it take for you 
to be able to climb the mountain of the Lord?