Psalm for Sunday, September 21, 2014

Reflections

Psalm 145:  2-3, 8-9, 17-18 (Read)

“Great is the Lord and highly to be praised.”

When we reflect on what God has done 
for us, we remember that God has always 
done good things for us.   That is God's 
nature.  As the Psalm says, “His greatness 
is unsearchable.”  And so we pray this psalm 
to bless, praise, and exalt the heavenly 
Father in His perfection and in His works.

Our psalmist dwells on the everlasting nature 
of God, on His love and presence throughout 
all time, and we are called to praise the Lord 
forever and ever.  Our psalmist reminds us, 
“The Lord is good to all and compassionate 
toward all His works.”  We know this inherently 
because we live our lives within an unending 
stream of divine love.

“The Lord is near to all who call upon him.” 
His presence is shown in the help, nourishment, 
and salvation that He shows to us.  The prophet 
Isaiah urges us, “Seek the Lord while He may be 
found, call Him while He is near.”
(Isaiah 55: 6)

We praise God because of His divine attributes
of compassion and love.  And fortunately for us, 
the Son shares fully in these divine attributes.
So we also sing this psalm in honor of Christ our 
Savior, who shares fully in the perfection of God,
and in the works of the Father,

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist assures us, 'The Lord is near to all who call upon Him.'   
This verse requires us to make the extra effort to reach out to God if we 
want to be in His presence.  Tell of how you have reached out to the Lord 
and what has been the result.

2.  The Psalm calls upon us to praise His name forever and ever.
Say how you go about praising the Lord in your daily life.  Give examples.

Psalm for Sunday, September 14, 2014

Reflections (by J Kim)        

Psalm 78:  1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 (Read)

"Do not forget the works of the Lord!"

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

draws on Psalm 78, a passage that recounts 

the rebellious nature of the people of Israel.   

The Psalmist describes their forgetfulness, 

disobedience, ungratefulness, and insincere 

praise of God.  As we read such descriptions, 

we must soberly recognize our own shortcomings 

and look up to the Holy Cross to deliver us from sin. 

Beginning with Verse 34, "While he slew them 

they sought him and inquired after God again," 

we are linked to the first reading.  Numbers 21 

describes God's use of venomous snakes to punish 

the people for their unbelief and complaining.  In their 

suffering, the people turn to Moses and the Lord for help; 

Moses is instructed to make a bronze snake and put it up 

on a pole for all to see.  The people looked up, believed,

and were healed.  In the Gospel of John, the image

is brought to its full meaning:  as the Israelites were 

healed by obeying God's command to look up at the 

elevated bronze serpent, believers today can be saved

by looking up to Jesus and his death on the cross.

Unfortunately, the next verses of the Psalm detail 

the fickle nature of the Israelites.   Over and over, 

they would claim to follow God for a while and then 

turn away from him.  "But they flattered him with their 

mouths and lied to him with their tongues, though their 

hearts were not steadfast toward him, nor were they 

faithful to his covenant."  (v. 36-37).  They followed God 

with their words and not with their hearts.  

An omniscient and all-powerful God would have every 

right to be angered.  Does our Lord choose to punish

His children?  The most tender, comforting, and 

awe-inspiring answer is found in v. 38:  "But he, being

merciful, forgave their sin and destroyed them not; '

Often he turned back his anger and let none of his wrath 

be roused."  God shows mercy on the Israelites; as many 

times as they rebel, He offers love and guidance, 

sometimes, firmly.  He is the same with us today, 

exhibiting perfect patience.  We must not "forget the 

works of the Lord," but remember to seek Him and 

exalt the cross at all times, not just in seasons of dire need. 

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Just like the Israelites, when have you been guilty of forgetfulness,

thanklessness, or rebellion?  What has been God's response?

2.  How do you "Exalt the Cross" in your daily life?  Or... perhaps, 

do you need to raise Him up higher for yourself and others to see?

Psalm for Sunday, September 7, 2014

Reflections

Psalm 95:  1-2, 6-7, 8-9 (Read)
 
 
"Oh that today you would hear His voice."
 

 










Knowing God's will is hard enough; 
discernment is a gift from God.  
But even if we are gifted enough
to be able to discern God 's will, 
do we have the courage and conviction 
to actually carry out His will? 

In our first reading Ezekiel is enjoined
by the Lord to warn the wicked among
the house of Israel and try to turn them
from their wicked ways (Ez 33:7-9).
In the Gospel, too, Jesus instructs the disciples
how to deal with a brother who sins against
a disciple (Mt 18:15-20).

Doing the will of God must have been difficult 
for the prophet Ezekiel; how much more so 
is the will of God a challenge for ordinary 
persons like us?  Even the disciples must have
been in awe of what Jesus was commanding
them to do.

Our spiritual history is full of occasions
where the faithful were known to have
hardened their hearts and refused to listen
to God's voice, though they had seen
His works, as our psalmist mentions.

But He is our God, as the psalm says,
and we are the people He shepherds.
Our job is to kneel before the Lord who
made us and to carry out His will the best
we can.   And if we are careful to listen to His voice,
He will empower us to do His will, just as
Jesus empowered the disciples to rise up
to the challenge of the great commission and
to become ordinary men performing extraordinary
deeds.

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, August 31, 2014

Reflections

Psalm 63:  2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (Read)
 
“My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.”

This prayer of longing was written at a time 
when David was in the desert, a place where
physical thirst was all around him, and the 
earth was parched, lifeless and without water.  
But David is writing also about a spiritual thirst 
that overwhelms him and reminds him of the 
emptiness of life without God.

David meditates on those happier moments 
when he was close to the Lord, when his soul 
was satisfied as with the riches of a banquet, 
and when he took shelter in the shadow of the 
wings of God.

We too go through times of spiritual deprivation
when we are away from God and indulge in 
sinful practices that separate us from Him.  
At those times, like a penitent sinner, we experience 
our deepest longing for the love of the Lord, and 
we seek out His loving embrace.  As our psalmist 
says, at times like that our soul clings fast to the Lord.   
We bless Him, we glorify Him, we praise Him.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist seeks the Lord because his soul thirsts for Him.   
Give an example of a time when you have hungered for God's 
presence and blessing in your life.

2.  The Psalm speaks of gazing toward the Lord in the sanctuary.
Tell of a time when you have gazed at the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament 
Chapel of your parish and how you could see His power and His glory.

Psalm for Sunday, August 24, 2014

Reflections 

Psalm 138:  1-2, 2-3, 6, 8 (Read)

“Lord, do not forsake the work of your hands.”
 
 


















Our psalmist David composed this prayer of a 
grateful heart. “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, 
with all my heart.”

David is grateful because his petitions are 
answered by the Lord. “For you have heard the 
words of my mouth.”  The Lord's answers to
our psalmist's prayers have come at a critical time,
a time when David is seeking to build up his strength.

David speaks of a divine rescue -- “When I cried out, 
you answered; you strengthened my spirit.” Perhaps 
we’re all in need of a spiritual rescue of the type 
David describes.

And it isn’t because of any of the psalmist’s virtues
that he obtains salvation. It is a result of God’s loving
fidelity. “Lord, your love is eternal.” Our God does not 
forsake the work of His hands, though as St Paul says
in our 2nd reading, “Who has given the Lord anything
that he may be repaid?” (Rom 11:35)

Unworthy as we are, and though the Lord is exalted,
He watches over us in our lowly state.  And thanks
be to God, His kindness endures forever.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist speaks of a divine rescue when he was in 
great need of the Lord's Providence.  Give an example of when 
you have cried out to the Lord and He has answered your cry.

2.  The Psalm's verses deal with an age old mystery--the Lord
is exalted, yet the lowly He sees.   How do you reconcile the 
apparent contradiction between God's heavenly dwelling and
His concern for us lowly humans?

Psalm for Sunday, August 17, 2014

Reflections

Psalm 67:  2-3, 5, 6, 8 (Read)

“May God bless us, and may He let His face shine upon us.” 


 











 
So much that God does for us is contained in the 
above verse from this Sunday's Psalm:

God gives us His grace through His son Jesus,
   who is our Savior.
God gives us material blessings –
    all our treasure and gifts are from Him.
He gives us spiritual blessings  –
    we know these as fruits of the spirit.

No wonder the Gentiles (people like us)
were attracted to the faith when St Paul 
and Barnabas were traveling through 
the towns, visiting the early churches,
and ministering to the Gentiles.  The apostles 
were doing as Jesus did when He encountered 
the Canaanite woman in the region of Tyre 
and Sidon (Gospel, Mt 15:21-28).
Though she was not a member of the house 
of Israel, Jesus recognized how great was
her faith, and the woman's daughter was
healed from that hour.

By ministering to the Gentiles the 'way' of 
the Lord became known upon earth among 
all the nations, as the Psalm says.  Indeed
the Psalm predicts that God’s saving power 
shall be known among all the peoples.
Thankfully, that includes us.

Today we join with the members of the early
church in praising God – “May the peoples praise
you, God; may all the peoples praise you.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  The Psalm petitions God to 'Let His face shine upon us.' 
In what way do you believe that God has let His face shine
upon you?

2.  Our psalmist calls for God's salvation to be known
among all the nations.  How are you evangelizing to those
who do not know His saving grace?

Psalm for Sunday, August 10, 2014

Reflections
 
Psalm 85:  9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 (Read)
 
“I will hear what God proclaims;
glory dwelling in our land.”

Our psalmist knows the importance of
listening carefully for the voice of the Lord.
For as Elijah discovers in our 1st reading,
God is not in the wind, nor the earthquake,
nor the fire.   Rather, God appears to Elijah
as a tiny whispering sound. (1 Kings 19)
 
We too must listen attentively for the voice
of the Lord and be careful not to miss His
presence among us.

How do we seek Him out?
Where do we find the Lord?
We find Him when we read and study
his Word, his living Word,
as fresh now as it was thousands
of years ago.   For His Word is
as penetrating as a two edged sword,
able to separate bone from marrow.
His Word convicts us,
pointing the way to salvation.
As our psalmist says,
“Near indeed is His salvation
for those who fear Him.”

Our psalmist prepares the way of the Lord --
“Truth shall spring out of the earth,”
(when the Messiah is born).
The goodness and blessings
that the psalmist speaks about
are fulfilled in Christ. 
For our Savior is truly,
“Glory dwelling in our land.”

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist affirms that he will hear what God proclaims.
Tell of how you listen for the voice of the Lord and what He is
saying to you.

2.  The Psalm proclaims that truth shall spring out of the earth
and there will be 'glory dwelling in our land.'   Speak of how our
Lord appears before you and how He is present to you.