Psalm for Sunday, February 2, 2025

Reflections


Psalm 24: 7, 8, 9, 10   (Read)

“Lift up, O gates, reach up,
that the king of glory may come in!”

Scripture tells us that even the heavens 
cannot contain Him, yet our Lord is
content to build a house within our
hearts.  Our own bodies become temples
of the Lord, and we must throw open
the gates of our hearts and let Him enter.
He is the king of glory!

The psalm celebrates Christ's ascension into
the holy city of Jerusalem, and reminds us
that He is 'mighty in battle,' able to defeat
whatever dark forces are present within us.
We herald His coming, our gates our lifted,
'that the king of glory may come in.'  He is
'strong and mighty' and will protect us from
all our enemies, external and internal.

The psalm reminds us we are to prepare
to receive our Lord.  We must be clean of
hand and pure of heart; we must 'reach up
our portals' to a higher level if we are truly
to become a temple of God.

The Psalm is guiding us to prepare ourselves
from within, so that we are made ready to
receive Him when He comes.  Our psalmist
tells us that those who love the Lord and those
who seek God's face will receive Him.  Just as
Jesus is consecrated to the Lord in this Sunday's
Gospel, just so must we be consecrated before
we can receive Jesus in our hearts.  When we are
ready, we can join with the psalmist and say
confidently, 'It is the Lord!'

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm twice urges us to lift up our gates that the king of glory 
may come in.   What are you doing to prepare a place for the Lord 
in your heart?

2.  Our Lord will build a house within our hearts if we allow Him to do so.  
Once your body becomes a temple of the Lord, how will this change 
your behavior?

Psalm for Sunday, January 26, 2025

 

Reflections


Psalm 19: 8, 9, 10, 15

“Let the words of my mouth and
the thoughts of my heart meet with 
your favor, O Lord, my rock and
my redeemer.”

Where does the power come from 
to keep us on track, to speak the 
right words, think the right thoughts? 
It comes from the Lord, our rock 
and redeemer.  And how does it come to us?  Through the Word, the inspired Word of God.

It is through the Word that we know 
His commandments, and through this 
Psalm that we know His law is a source 
of refreshment, a source of joy.  When 
we follow the Lord’s commands, there 
is a joy that is stirred up in our hearts.
“The precepts of the Lord are right, 
rejoicing the heart.”

His statutes do not bind us, they set 
us free.  As in the days of Ezra, the 
reading of the law should not make us sad, 
but be a source of rejoicing. 

If we are to imitate the divine life,
everything we need to know is found in 
God’s law.  The Word is the source of 
wisdom; it is where power is found.
And it is where the statutes of God 
are spelled out.  

The Lord's statutes serve as our 
instruction manual for life.  But they 
are not just a dry set of rules that we 
cannot hope to follow; 
God's commandments refresh our souls.

The Word and the statutes endure forever;
They are refreshing to the soul; 
They enlighten the eye;
They bring much reward.
And as Christ says in the Gospel, 
the scripture is fulfilled in our hearing. 
Give us ears to hear!

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm response this Sunday is 'Your words, Lord, 
are Spirit and life.'  In what way are you impacted along 
your faith journey by the words of our Lord?

2.  Speak of how the Lord's commandments are useful in 
carrying out the plea of our psalmist, 'Let the words of my 
mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor before you.'

Psalm for Sunday, January 19, 2025

Reflections 

Psalm 96: 1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10  (Read)

“Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all
the nations!”

Today's psalm is a song of Israel, the
chosen people, brought back from exile. 
Their joy and praise is understandable.  
The prophet Isaiah says that God calls
them, “His Delight, His Espoused.”
(Isaiah 62:4) 
No wonder they want to “Sing to the
Lord a new song,” and tell of God’s
glory and His marvelous deeds.

We are all summoned to adoration of
our sovereign God.  We are called to
give Him 'glory and praise,' as our
psalmist says.   And we are called
to bring gifts as we enter His courts.

But no matter how precious our own
offerings may be, they are no match
for the gifts of the Spirit that each of us
receives, and which St Paul speaks
about in this Sunday's second reading. 
Each of us receives these spiritual gifts
individually, and they are given through
the Spirit to us for 'some benefit.'  
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

In this Sunday's Gospel our Lord Jesus
uses His marvelous gifts to turn water
into wine at the wedding in Cana and so
reveals His glory. (John 2:1-11)
Even today the Lord provides real food
and real drink for us, in the Eucharist. 
What better nourishment could there be
in our lives?  As the psalm says, we are
called to be grateful and, “Give to the Lord
the glory due His name,” to bow down
to the Lord, and to tremble before Him.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist encourages us to, 'Sing to the Lord a new song."
What is it about your faith that makes you want to sing praise to the Lord?

2.  The Psalm urges us to, 'Proclaim His marvelous deeds to all the nations.' 
How will you go about proclaiming the Gospel to those around you in your family and your community?

  

Psalm for Sunday, January 12, 2025

Reflections

Psalm 29: 1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10   (Read)

“The God of glory thunders.”

The Psalm is about the splendor and the 
power of God.  “Give to the Lord the glory 
due God’s name.  Bow down before the 
Lord’s holy splendor.”  The Psalm speaks 
of the voice of the Lord “thundering” over 
the waters.   “The voice of the Lord is 
power; the voice of the Lord is splendor.”

God's awesome voice was heard over the 
Jordan River that day when the heavens 
were torn open and the Holy Spirit descended 
upon Jesus just as He was being baptized.  
What could be more powerful than the voice 
of God declaring, “This is my beloved Son, 
with whom I am well pleased.” (Gospel, Luke 3:22)

What happened at the Jordan River that day 
was to fulfill what God said to the prophet Isaiah – 
“Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen 
one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have 
put my spirit.”  (Isaiah 42:1)

The baptism of our Lord may have happened 
over 2000 years ago, but on that day God 
anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power, 
the power to serve the faithful (people like us), 
and to do battle on our behalf with the 
devil. (Acts 10:38)

From that time forward we too became eligible 
to serve the Lord as His chosen ones.   Isaiah 
tells us what our spiritual mission is to be:  
like Jesus, we are to be a light to the nations, 
and open the eyes of the blind (those who do 
not know the Lord).  (Isaiah 42:6-7)
And imitating Jesus, we are to bring out 
prisoners from confinement (those who may 
be imprisoned by sin).  What better way 
would there be for us to serve the Lord?

Amen


 Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm's verses speak of the power and splendor of the voice 
of the Lord, thundering over the waters.   Have you heard God's powerful 
voice speaking to you, anointing you as one of His chosen ones?  Explain.

2.  Our psalmist encourages us to give God the glory due His holy name.  
Tell of how you give God the glory in your activities and your everyday life.