Psalm for Sunday, September 26, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 19: 8, 10, 12-13, 14   (Read)

“The precepts of the Lord give joy 

to the heart.”

This Sunday's Psalm celebrates the Law of
the Lord, first given to Moses on Mt Sinai. 
But it also tells us what God’s Law reveals
about our Creator, and about the joy that is
stirred up in our hearts when we follow the
Lord’s commands.

If I am to imitate the divine life, everything
I need to know is found in God’s Law.  Our
psalmist David shows me that the Law of
Moses is an instruction manual for life.  
I learn that obeying the Law does not prevent
me from being happy or limit me in a negative way.  
Instead, obeying the Law brings much reward.
 
I am kept from willful sins by the Law.  Obey the Law
and I will not be controlled by sin and instead will be
able to walk as a God fearing person.  I may think
of statutes as something intended to control me or
restrict me.   But as our psalmist explains, the Law
of the Lord does the opposite – it is in fact a source
of joy, something to be desired.  This is so because
the Law gives me wisdom and provides me with
something I can trust.

“His ordinances are true, all of them just.”
Far more than a set of rules that I cannot hope to follow,
God’s commandments refresh my soul.  They give
‘wisdom to the simple,’ they are more 'desirable than
gold, sweeter also than honey.'

It is through the inspired Word of God that I know His
commandments and through this Psalm that I know
His Law is a source of refreshment, a source of joy.  
His statutes do not bind me, they set me free.

The reading of the Law should not make me sad, but
be a source of rejoicing.   Give me ears to hear!

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our Psalm Response this Sunday is, "The precepts of the Lord
give joy to the heart."   Do you believe that the Lord's commandments
can be a source of joy, instead of a set of rules and restrictions?   Explain.

2.  Our psalmist says that the 'decree of the Lord gives wisdom to the simple.' 
Describe how God's Law inspires you to celebrate God's perfection and helps
you to imitate the divine life.

Psalm for Sunday, September 19, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 54: 3-4, 5, 6, 8   (Read)

 
"O God, by your name save me." 

 

The psalm is a prayer sung by David at a time when 
he was being hunted by King Saul.  David was in 
great peril, threatened by the “ruthless.” He says, 
“The ruthless seek my life; they set not God before 
their eyes.”

I may not be threatened by King Saul and his troops,
but I am surely under threat by satan and his band 
of fallen angels.  And where does the threat come from?
Is it from outside?   Or is it from within?  
For all my proclamations of trust in God, I can sense
the wavering inside of me which besets us all.

Just as David turns to the Lord for protection, so too 
should I pray to the Lord to save me.  David prays, 
”O God, by your name save me.”  For me that name 
is the name of Jesus.  Where else would I turn for a 
shield in time of battle?   Or a sword in time of peril?
With Christ present as my helper, I can turn back the 
evil which lurks within my heart.

David writes about the 'haughty men' who have risen 
against him.   Am I one of them?  Am I one of those
described in this Sunday's first reading who resent
the just one? (Wisdom 2:12)   Am I part of the crowd
who condemn Jesus to a shameful death to test if He 
is truly the son of God?

Are jealousy and selfish ambition lurking within me,
causing disorder and every foul practice, as St James 
warns us in Sunday's second reading? (James 3:16)   
Am I like the disciples on that journey with Jesus through 
Galilee who were arguing about who is the greatest?

If so, then I too had better call upon the name above all 
names to save me, as David does.  I had better pray that 
I will approach God in proper humility and pray that I shall
'undertake to become the last of all and the servant 
of all.' (Gospel, Mark 9:35)

“God is my helper; the Lord sustains my life.”
I had better receive Him;
I had better gain His peace to quiet the battle within.
I had better keep my eyes fixed on the Cross;
I had better be open to rescue and redemption.

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist is fighting against forces that threaten him; he says, 
"The ruthless seek my life."   Are you aware of powerful forces, external 
or internal, that put your faith in jeopardy?   Explain.

2.  The Psalm says, "The Lord upholds my life."  Speak of how your life 
is sustained by the Lord when you are under threat physically or spiritually.

Psalm for Sunday, September 12, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 116:  1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9   (Read)

“He has freed my soul from death."





It is said that Jesus called out this prayer 
on the night He was betrayed, and went 
to His death with these words on His lips.

The psalm is a simple prayer of thanks to 
God that the psalmist might have used after 
escape from the “snares of the netherworld,” 
as he called upon God, “O Lord save my life!”

But unlike the psalmist, our Savior does not 
ask to escape death; instead He begins to
teach the disciples that the Son of Man must 
suffer greatly and be killed.  Jesus summons 
the crowd and begins to preach on the redemptive
value of His death, saying that 'whoever loses his 
life for my sake will save it.' (Gospel, Mark 8: 31-35)

Having become the prayer of Our Lord on the night 
of his Passion, the Psalm says to us believers that 
there is hope, that we too will “walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.”

In Sunday's first reading, the prophet Isaiah reminds 
us that the suffering servant is not disgraced, is not 
put to shame. (Isaiah 50:7)   It is that same spirit of 
defiance in the face of death that empowers the 
suffering servant to set his face like flint, knowing
that the Lord God is his help.

Because we are little and “brought low,” we depend 
on our God to “incline His ear” to us when we call.  
We cannot raise up ourselves; we are at the mercy 
of God's grace.  We cannot become divine, and 
therefore God in His love for us became like us
and inclined Himself to our humanity

For this we are grateful, and we join with the 
psalmist who celebrates as we do, “For the Lord 
has freed my soul from death.”

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist says that the "Lord has freed my soul from death."  Speak about how the Lord has worked in your life to give you hope that you are saved and raised you up away from the "cords of death."

2.  The Psalm says, "The Lord keeps the little ones."  Are you one of His 'little ones?'  Explain how by humbling yourself you have a better chance of being pleasing in the 
eyes of God.

Psalm for Sunday, September 5, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 146:  6-7, 8-9, 9-10  (Read)

“The Lord raises up those who were bowed down.”

 
Our psalmist is singing about God's 
promises to the oppressed, the hungry, 
the prisoner, the blind, and those of us 
who are bowed down in one way or another.

We could all benefit by being set free in the 
Spirit or healed so that we are no longer 
blinded.   Then we too would no longer be 
lame, but would be able to “leap like a stag,” 
as the prophet Isaiah foresees in this 
Sunday's 1st reading.  (Isaiah 35:5-6)

The Psalm is telling me that I really need 
to humble myself if I want to be raised up 
with Jesus.  That may be hard to do if it 
means I have to swallow my pride and put 
aside worldly concerns.   But it I truly want 
to be set free from the sins that bind me, 
then I need to repent and bow down before 
the Lord, accept my brokenness, and seek 
his grace.  Only then will I begin 
to have a right relationship with the Lord.

And where do I turn to be lifted up and made whole again?  
I turn to the Lord.  Where else are the promises of our God 
fulfilled but in the healing ministry of Jesus, as this Sunday's 
Gospel tells me.  (Mark 7:31-37)   Who else has the grace 
and the mercy to heal me?

Christ carries out the promises of the Psalm – He sets us 
captives free and gives sight to us so we can truly see. 
The Lord raises me up when I am down – He sustains me – 
with real food and drink.

So I can pray this Psalm, not only in honor of the heavenly Father,
but also in honor of Christ Jesus, whom God exalted.  
“The Lord shall reign forever, through all generations.”

Amen


Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  Our psalmist says, "The Lord sets captives free."   In what ways are you captive, 
and how has the Lord set you free?

2.  The Psalm proclaims, "The Lord gives sight to the blind."  In what areas of your 
life were you not able to see things clearly, and give an example of how the Lord 
has enabled you to regain your sight.

Psalm for Sunday, August 29, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 15: 2-3, 3-4, 4-5  (Read)

“One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”

 

Our psalmist David tells us how we may climb the 
holy mountain of God and live in the presence of the Lord. 
And in a similar way, in Sunday's first reading,
Moses tells the Israelites how to take possession
of the promised land. (Deuteronomy 4:1)

The way forward for the Israelites and for us is twofold --
love God and love neighbor.   If I truly love the Lord,
then my heart will not be far from Him, and I will keep 
His commandments.   If I love the Lord, He will remain
in me.  How else would I expect my heart to remain pure?   
When my heart is pure, I do no harm to my fellow man; 
and I think the truth in my heart.

St James tells us to be doers of the Word; we are to 
keep ourselves unstained by the world.  (James 1: 22, 27)
And Jesus reminds us in the Gospel that it all starts
from inside.  It is within our hearts that evil thoughts 
reside.  The things that come out from within are 
what defile us.  (Mark 7:15, 20-23)

So, if I am right with the Lord and my heart is close 
to Him, then I will not slander with my tongue,
nor take up a reproach against my neighbor.   
Nor will I do harm economically to my neighbor.
If I do these things, as our psalmist says, I shall 
never be disturbed, and I will live in the presence 
of the Lord.

Amen
 
Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.   Our psalmist says whoever thinks the truth in his heart will live in 
the presence of the Lord.   How do you go about preparing your heart 
so that you are able to receive the Lord?

2.  The verses of the Psalm remind us not to slander, nor to blame our 
neighbor, nor to harm our fellow man, nor to hurt him economically.   
Explain how you are motivated by your faith to become a doer of the Word.

Psalm for Sunday, August 22, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 34:  2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21   (Read)

“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”

Once again we revisit this psalm of thanksgiving.  And this Sunday the Gospel challenges us to stop murmuring and stand up for our faith.

And the question is the same, “Do I truly believe
that Jesus is the living bread that came down
out of heaven and that whoever eats His flesh
and drinks His blood will remain in Him and
will live forever?”

Like Joshua, am I prepared to take a stand and
declare,  “As for me and my household we will
serve the Lord.”  Joshua commits himself and
his family to serve the Lord.  (Joshua 24:15)  
What better commitment would there be for me,
in our time?

Where would I go if I did not serve the Lord? 
To whom would I turn without my Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ?  I thirst for Jesus, and I would be parched
and dry without Him in my life.  I must stop murmuring
about how difficult it may be to accept His words
and declare that Jesus is truly the Holy One of God.
Who else would hear my cry, as our psalmist says,
or confront evildoers on my behalf ?

“Many are the troubles of the just, but the Lord delivers
them all.”   We are all afflicted.  Our Spirit may be
crushed (as the psalmist says), but “God watches over
all our bones.”

“When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all
their distress he rescues them.”  Who else would listen
to my cry?  If I cry out to the Lord, He will hear me and
rescue me from all distress.  Where else would I turn?

I have the Lord as my ally in my fight against the evil one.
And with Him on my side victory is certain.  “The Lord
confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them
from the earth.”

So the teaching is clear –  “Let His praise be ever in my mouth,
and let my soul glory in the Lord.”

Amen

Discussion Questions for Reflection

1.  If we truly serve the Lord, we can be confident that 'He will watch over
all our bones,' as the Psalmist says.  Explain how your faith has given you
peace and strength in the face of your afflictions.

2.  We are engaged in a spiritual battle with the evil one and his helpers,
but our Psalmist says that the Lord will confront evildoers and destroy them.
Tell of how you have been able to defeat evil with the Lord on your side.

Psalm for Sunday, August 15, 2021

Reflections

Psalm 45: 10, 11, 12, 16

"The queen stands at your right hand."

The Psalm is about the birth of our Savior.   Just as the woman in Sunday’s first reading is clothed with the sun, and arrayed with a crown of twelve stars, so Mary our Holy Queen is arrayed in gold and stands at the right hand of God.  

The verses of the Psalm describe how Mary is being prepared for the royal birth of the Messiah himself.   She will have a name that is renowned through all generations and nations shall praise her forever.    She is led in to the heavenly chamber with glad and joyous acclaim.  All glory is given to her as she enters.   She is told to forget her people and her father’s house that God himself might rejoice in her beauty.  

As in Sunday’s first reading Mary gives birth to a son destined to rule all the nations, a child who is caught up to God and his throne. (Revelations 12:5)   

Having taken his place seated at the right hand of God, now have salvation come, and authority is given to the Anointed One.   St Paul confirms our salvation and tells us in Sunday’s second reading that in Christ all shall be saved and brought to life. (1 Corinthians 15:22)

And in Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 1: 39-56), when Mary makes an ordinary visit 

to her cousin Elizabeth, the Holy Spirit inspires Elizabeth to proclaim that Mary 

is to be the mother of her Lord, and her own child leaps for joy at the coming 

of the Messiah.   Having been blessed by Elizabeth, Mary cries out her Magnificat and affirms that the Almighty has done great things for her.   She cannot keep from proclaiming the greatness of the Lord and she rejoices in God her Savior.   

Truly we are present at a Holy moment.

Amen

Discussion Questions for Discussion

1.  Do you see Mary as our Holy Queen, arrayed in gold?

How do you explain that an apparently ordinary young woman became 

the Mother of our Lord?

2.  Can you picture yourself as one of the train of bridesmaids 

who are being led into the palace of the king?  Explain.