Psalm Reflection: The Third Sunday of Easter - Cycle C

“I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.” - Psalm 30

Life is too good.

Yes, we have our difficulties, anxieties, frustrations and worries. However, at least in the United States and the West, life is very comfortable, safe and advanced, especially in comparison to the rest of the world.

When we are this comfortable, we can get complacent. It is hard to see the need for a Savior when you look at your life and there does not seem to be anything you need to be saved from. We have become so accustomed to the way things are that we forget or neglect to see how the consequences of sin wreak havoc on the human heart. We do not think about the fact that we are all in desperate need of rescue and salvation. 

Everyone is born with original sin, which is essentially a one-way ticket to hell unless we do something about it. However, we cannot do anything about it. Sin is a human problem that has broken humanity so severely that we cannot fix it ourselves. That is why God, out of infinite love for us, became man. He became the perfect human to fix a human problem that no other imperfect human could fix. He did not have to save us, but He chose to out of love. He chose to do so in a sacrificial way to institute a perpetual reminder of His love for us in a New Passover meal: the Eucharist.

That is why we come to Mass. That is why we worship. That is the only reason why anyone should be a Christian. Christianity is not simply a feel-good habit or a self-help activity. It is a response to the reality of sin and death that Jesus has rescued us from. Christianity is not a program to make you the best version of yourself. Christianity is a belief that Jesus has already rescued us, and continues to rescue us every day from sin and death, something we could never hope to do on our own.

We live in a world that is so full of good “stuff” that it can distract us or become an obstacle to us seeing the truth, goodness and beauty God offers. When sin entered the world, everything became hopeless, broken and disordered. Many of us have not experienced a life that we would describe with those words, because we live in a world that promises us everything we could possibly want to satisfy all the desires, hungers and fantasies we can possibly think of. It is all a smokescreen that prevents us from admitting an acknowledging our brokenness and the utter despair we would be in if it were not for Jesus.

Jesus loves you so much that He gave His life specifically for you to rescue you from inevitable sin and death. You did not deserve it. You could not earn it. It was not done by any effort of your own. It was 100% gift.

That is the only real reason to be a Christian and to the praise the Lord, but it is every reason we need.

This week, find ways to praise the Lord. Offer Him prayers of gratitude. Smile when you experience the beauty of His creation. Look up at the crucifix in prayer and acknowledge, “Jesus, you did that for me.” This Sunday, when you go to Mass, let that praise animate your worship. Let it inform how you prepare, dress and participate. Let it affect your demeanor, your attitude and your desire to give rather than receive from Mass. Instead of approaching the Mass with a spectator mindset, come with a heart that is ready to give and praise God in thanksgiving for the salvation He won for you on the cross.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt