Psalm Reflection: The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A

“Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.” - Psalms 85

I love buying people gifts.

I try to pay close attention to the interests of those around me and keep my eyes open for creative gift ideas that will be really useful and meaningful for them.

When I was in high school I was in a band with some of my best friends, and around Christmas time I was looking for a gift for our drummer. I had remembered a few months earlier that he was wishing he had a cowbell for his drum set for a particular song we were writing. Granted, it is not the most profound, expensive or elaborate gift, but I was a broke high school kid and I was excited that I had remembered this detail to surprise him with a cowbell for Christmas.

When the week of Christmas came, we decided to exchange gifts after work (we worked at the same restaurant at the time). I eagerly grabbed my wrapped gift from my car and gave it to him. I watched him open it and saw him smile and laugh, saying “yes, finally! This is awesome!” 

Then his face changed. He had a sort of nervous excitement in his eyes and I was immediately clued into the fact that something special was going on. 

He said, “are you ready for your gift?” He had nothing in his hands, and we were standing by the trunk of his car. I nodded, not really knowing what to expect. He popped the trunk and inside was my dream guitar, a black, shallow-depth, acoustic-electric Ovation (they are the guitars with the rounded backs if you have ever seen them). It was a guitar that cost several hundred dollars and I never thought I would ever own.

To this day, it is one of the best gifts I have ever received and one of the most surprised moments in my life.

I started to apologize for my gift because it felt so small in comparison, and my friend insisted, “no, it is awesome. I just really wanted to do this for you.”

A true gift is something that can only be received, it cannot be earned. 

If we go through life trying to earn God’s grace and the gifts He offers us, we will always, at our very best, be showing up with metaphorical cowbells. We can offer God nothing that He does not already have or need. 

So, when the Psalmist compels God to let us see His kindness and grant us His salvation, there is a recognition that it is simply up to God to give the gift. 

It is nothing we have a right to.

It is nothing we deserve or should expect.

It is nothing we can merit or earn on our own, no matter how much we pray, how much money we give or how many ministries we are involved in.

The love of God and the gift of salvation are offered freely and lavishly for us to receive and respond to. 

So many people spend their lives trying to prove their holiness to God and others that they never actually receive the gift, because they think they already have it.

When we get to our judgment, we are going to be blown away when we see how the love and mercy of God was at work in our lives and how often it when unnoticed or unreceived. 

God is waiting to give you a gift. 

If your hands are too full with pride, achievement, self-aggrandizement, then you will not be able to receive it.

If you eyes are blinded by sin and temptation, you will not be able to notice it.

If you hears are listening to the world instead of the voice of God, you will not hear what God is promising you.

Empty your hands.

Rid your life of the obstacles of sin, worry and distraction.

Train yourself in the art of listening to God and drown out every other voice.

God is waiting to show you His kindness and grant you His salvation. 

Ask.

Seek. 

Knock.

Receive the gift and respond with joy.

This is the Christian life.

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

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, August 13th, 2023, which is The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle A: Psalms 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14.