Psalm for Sunday, October 20, 2024

 

Reflections 

Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22   (Read)

"Lord, let your mercy be on us,
as we place our trust in you.”

Our Sunday Psalm is written in praise
of God’s power and providence.
It is the Lord’s design for his
people that stands through all
the generations.  It is through
his plan that we are saved.
Our own feeble efforts count for
nothing.  We must be submissive
and abandon ourselves to his providence.

And how do we know his plan?
This Sunday's lst reading (Isaiah)
graphically outlines what God has 
in mind for his Son, that He be 
'crushed for our offenses.' (Isaiah 53:10)
As unpleasant as this sounds,
that is how we are delivered from
death.  Because Christ humbles himself for
our sake, becomes a slave to our sin,
there is hope for us, even in our time
of spiritual famine   The psalmist has it right,
“The Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear Him, 
to deliver them from death.”

In Sunday's 2nd reading, the Letter to the Hebrews 
answers the question, “How can we approach the throne
of God?”  The answer is with confidence, and then 
we will find mercy and grace. (Hebrews 4:16)
The theme of the Psalm is the same, “The Lord’s eyes 
are upon those who hope for his grace.”

It is said that even people who have no faith 
have a longing in their hearts for God.  There is something 
missing in their lives.  For us who are believers,
we are dependent on the Lord – we openly ask for 
his help and his protection.  He is our shield in the 
spiritual battle that we all have to fight.

If we trust in the Lord, his eyes will be upon us, 
and we can expect to receive his grace.  And as 
the psalmist says, through the Lord's grace we
are delivered from death, kept alive in times of famine.   
And for this we praise the Lord.  As the psalmist says,
we know He will fill the earth with goodness and his 
kindness will be upon us.  The Psalm ends on a positive
note, “Lord we have put our hope in you.”
Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The psalmist says, 'Our soul waits for the Lord.'  Tell of how you have 
a spiritual hunger for the Lord in your life, and explain how the Lord satisfies 
your longing.

2.  The psalm's verses state that, 'The eyes of the Lord are upon those who 
fear Him.'   Do you feel the eyes of the Lord upon you because you hold 
Him in awe?  Explain.

Psalm for Sunday, October 13, 2024

Reflections

Psalm 90: 12-13, 14-15, 16-17   (Read)

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we 
  may gain wisdom of heart."

The Psalm reminds us that man’s days are numbered, and that we should use our time wisely, making our days and our life count for something.  And how do we do that?  We do it by being open to the wisdom of God.  Just as Solomon preferred the gift of wisdom over material wealth (Wisdom 7:7-9), so too do we see the advantage of using our time wisely by doing the Lord's will.

Although we may never receive the wisdom 
of Solomon that this Sunday's first reading 
talks about, we can hope for some  ability to be 
detached from worldly things, which can separate 
us from God.

How do we do this?  Where does the ability come from, 
to cut through all our present day concerns?
It comes from the Word – “The Word of God is sharper
than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between 
soul and spirit, joints and marrow." (Hebrews 4:12)

Scripture teaches us that the Word will give us a 
correct view of life, and this will allow us to have
a right relationship with the Lord.  Having got that right, 
we may receive the favor of the Lord and be counted 
among his sheep.  As the Psalm says, “May the favor
of the Lord our God be ours.”

How much better will our lives be if we may sing for joy, 
as the psalmist says, and be filled at daybreak
with the love of the Lord.   And having received God’s 
favor, we will want to be His servants and do His work.  
We will become laborers in the field where the
harvest is plentiful.  And as the Psalm says, 
“The work of our hands will prosper.”

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm speaks about using our time wisely.   Tell of how you set 
your priorities so that you are serving God and doing His will.

2.  Our psalmist talks of how we may gain 'wisdom of heart.'  Give an example of how you are receiving wisdom to discern a correct view of life so that you will not offend the Lord.