Psalm Reflection: The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Cycle A)

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” - Psalm 23

Psalm 23 is arguably the most famous or well-known of all the Psalms. It is the “John 3:16” of the Old Testament.

I have probably written multiple reflections on these words, and yet it is in the repetition that the Lord is speaking to me this week.

There are certain things in faith that we hear over and over again, because they are essential for our understanding of what it means to be Christian. A statement like “Jesus died for your sins,” can go in one ear and out the other, simply because we have heard it so many times. But stop and think for a moment: there was a death sentence, a bullet meant for you, and Jesus, who you rejected and turned away from multiple times, jumped in front of you to take that bullet. As He lay on the ground dying for you, He looked at you with love and simply wanted you to be free. Do we know and experience the gravity of those words every time we hear them?

When we hear things over and over again, we need to take a moment and “delete” the previous hearings or images we have formed in our minds so that we can receive these truths in new ways. I have heard certain truths of the faith a thousand times, but I have been a different person each time, and God desires for me to receive them in new ways every time. Am I listening? Do I receive it once again or do I comfort myself because “I know this; I have heard this before.” 

You cannot exhaust the truth of our faith and the love God has for you. If it were an ocean, you might be able to grasp a drop of water from it throughout the course of your life. God is vast, endless and always desiring to make us new. Are you and I constantly willing to listen, receive and be open? 

This week, sit down and read Psalm 23 in its entirety, receiving and concentrating on every word and detail as if you have never heard it before. 

What do you notice?

What stands out?

What is the Lord trying to say to you?

What is He compelling you to do?

How do you experience His love for you in this passage?

Pray and reflect on these questions, and return to them any time you hear something familiar or seemingly “routine” about the Christian life. Let God speak to you in new ways, because He never runs out of material.

I am praying for you. See you in the Eucharist.

Matt