Psalm for Sunday, July 24, 2016

Reflections

Psalm 138: 1-2, 2-3, 6-7, 7-8  (Read)

“I will give thanks to you,

O Lord, with all my heart.”

Our psalmist David composed

this prayer with a grateful 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 Savior Jesus conveys a similar

teaching in this Sunday's Gospel,

“Ask and you will receive; seek and

you will find; knock and the door

will be opened to you. For everyone

who asks, receives; and the one

who seeks, finds.” (Luke 11:9-10)

Our God does not forsake the work

of His hands, though who has given

the Lord anything that he may be repaid?

Our psalmist reminds us—all God

has to do is stretch out his right hand,

and we will be saved. “You stretch out

your hand, your right hand saves me.”

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 affirms that God answers our needs, "Lord, on the day I called for help,
you answered me."   Give an example of how your prayers have been answered at a 
critical time in your life.

 2.  The Psalm reminds us that although the Lord is exalted, He sees the lowly.   
What is it that gives you confidence that the Lord will not forsake you, even though 
He is exalted and you are among the lowly ones.

Psalm for Sunday, July 17, 2016

Reflections

Psalm15: 2-3, 3-4, 5  (Read)

This Psalm of David begins with a familiar 

question,  “Who may dwell on your holy 

mountain?”

Fortunately for us, David gives us answers 

that serve as a lesson in how today's Christians 

are to behave if we are to dwell in God's Kingdom.

David says, “He who does justice will live in the

presence of the Lord.”  For us this can mean

whoever has a right relationship with the Lord

will inherit God's Kingdom. Whoever loves God

with all his heart and loves his neighbor as 

himself is not far from the Kingdom of heaven, 

as Jesus affirms to the scribe in Mark 12:34.

Jesus was born to bring us the Kingdom and 

to personify the Kingdom of God to us humans. 

If we follow what our psalmist prescribes, we will 

find that we are able to live now in the Kingdom 

of God, here on earth.

David describes what separates us from God 

and His Kingdom. Our separation is caused by

the sinful things that we do and the harmful habits

that we acquire willfully. This separation can only

be healed by repenting and turning to our Savior, 

Jesus Christ.

As our Lord said, the Kingdom of God is at hand 

and can for us become a present reality, inside 

of us and within our community. Just as David did,

we hunger for God's presence; we long for His 

Kingdom. Fortunately for us, through the Eucharist 

we are able to receive Jesus physically and spiritually 

and to live in His Body as He lives in ours.

And having Jesus inside us and living within Him,

we are able to make the Kingdom present to our

family and our community. Our God intended for us

to have a share in His own divinity. All we have to do

is accept God's Son into our hearts and follow His

teachings. Then you and I will be not far from the 

Kingdom. We will have Jesus in our midst, and 

we will be able to dwell on God's holy mountain.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist David asks us, "Who may dwell on God's holy mountain?"  

Recalling the verses of the Psalm, speak of what you are doing to draw 

closer to God.

2.  The Psalm says that one who thinks the truth in his heart will live in the 

presence of the Lord.  Describe how you are making sure you have a pure 

heart so as to gain favor with God.

 

Psalm for Sunday, July 10, 2016

Reflections

Psalm 19: 8, 9, 10, 11 (Read)

“Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.”

God’s statutes refresh the soul;

they give ‘wisdom to the simple;’

they ‘rejoice the heart;' they are 

more ‘desirable than gold,

sweeter also than honey.’

“The law of the Lord is perfect,

refreshing the soul.”  The Psalm

speaks to us of the joy that is

stirred up in our hearts when we

follow the Lord’s commands.

Our Savior Jesus Christ came to fulfill

the law and make us right with the Lord.

If we are to imitate the divine life,

everything we need to know is found

in God’s Law. Obeying the Law brings

much reward.

We are kept from willful sins by the Law.

Obey the Law and we will be able to walk

as God fearing people.   As our psalmist

explains, the Law of the Lord is in fact a

source of joy, something to be desired,

because the Law gives us wisdom and

provides us with something we can trust.

It is through the inspired Word of God that

we know His commandments and through

this Psalm that we know His Law is a source

of refreshment, a source of joy.   His statutes

do not bind us, they set us free.

The reading of the Law should not

make us sad, but be a source of rejoicing.

Give us ears to hear!

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm response this Sunday is, "Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life."   
Tell of how God's commandments are for you uplifting and nourishing.

2.  Our psalmist says that God's ordinances are for him 'sweeter than honey.' 

Explain what this verse means to you. 

 

Psalm for Sunday, July 3, 2016

Reflections

Psalm 66: 1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20  (Read)

“Hear now, while I declare what He has done for me.”

 

The Psalm celebrates the awesome 

power of God, manifest in 'His tremendous 
deeds among the children of Adam.' 

Our psalmist recalls the dividing of the 

Red Sea, which delivered Israel from 

the Egyptians, through the favor of God. 

That same awesome power that split 

the Red Sea became available to the

early apostles of the Church, as they 

went about healing and doing signs 

and wonders.

Where does the power come from to heal 

the lame and drive out unclean spirits? 

It comes from the Holy Spirit, who empowers 

each of us to become a healing force within 

our family and our community. No wonder 

those early believers were eager to go forth 

into the towns and become laborers for His 

harvest, and to rejoice because their names 

were written in heaven.

We too cannot help but sing praise to God 

when we feel His presence within us. We 

proclaim His glorious praise, and we on earth 

worship Him, as our psalmist says.

We want all to know what God has done for us,

so we 'cry out to God with joy.'

Amen

 
Discussion Questions for Reflection
   

1.  Our Psalmist invites us, "Come and see the works of God."  

Give an example of the awesome power of God in your life.

2.  The verses of the psalm say, "Blessed be God who refused me not."   

Tell of how the Lord has answered your plea and your prayer.

Psalm for Sunday, June 26, 2016

Reflections

Psalm 16: 1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11  (Read)

“With the Lord at my right hand,

I shall never be shaken.”

This psalm of David speaks to us

about a belief in an everlasting life

with God. “Lord, my allotted portion 

and my cup, you have made

my destiny secure.”

The distress that afflicts us from time

to time when we feel separated from God

is overcome – “For you will not abandon

my soul to the netherworld, nor let your

faithful servant see the pit.”

We can understand the Psalm's

verses as a prophecy of the resurrection

of Christ, when we will see God’s Son

seated at the right hand of the Father.

“You will show me the path to life,

abounding joy in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.”

These same verses are quoted by

St Peter in his speech to the Israelites

at Pentecost. (Acts 2:25-28)

St Peter uses the Psalm

as a prophecy that Jesus is to be

raised up and will sit at the right

hand of the Father. For us these are

encouraging words, with a promise

that we too can look forward to being

lifted up and spending the rest of our

days in the presence of the Lord.

The Lord promises, if we are his faithful

servants, that we will not have to see the pit.

He will not abandon us. As David says,

this is enough to make our hearts glad

and our souls rejoice.  

“Therefore my heart is glad and my soul 

rejoices; my body, too, abides in confidence.”

Our burdens are made light;

His yoke is easy, and that gladdens the heart

and strengthens the body.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalmist speaks confidently about his belief in an everlasting life with God.   

Speak of how you are confident about being raised up with the Lord and spending  

eternity in His presence.

2.  David says, "My Lord, you are my allotted portion and my cup."  Explain what 

these words mean to you.

Psalm for Sunday, June 19, 2016

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 walk away from God and indulge in

sinful practices that separate us from God.

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.