Psalm Reflection: The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B

“The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” - Psalms 126

God is so good.

I recently had the privilege to lead a pilgrimage through the holiest sites in Italy. Every single day was filled with graces and experiences seeing incredible sites, incorruptible Saints, and the beauty of God’s creation. It was such a whirlwind that I am only now beginning to realize the depth and wonder of what we experienced now that I am back. 

Going on a pilgrimage is like getting married: the week leading up the the wedding, the ceremony, the reception, and the honeymoon can all seem like such a whirlwind that you do not really have a moment to pause and reflect. It is only when you return home and settle into your new life together that the joy and reality of being married hits you. 

One of the places I have been returning to the most in my prayer is Assisi. It is a beautiful, medieval town on a hill surrounded by the old walls of the fortress that remains on the top of the hill. It feels like you are going back in time with each turn down a new street. Assisi was one of the last places we stayed and we were there for four days, finally having the opportunity to settle after bouncing from place to place for the week prior. It was there that I noticed I started to slow down and recognize all the Lord was trying to do in my life.

I felt it most my first night there. Many of the roads have steep inclines, and it had been raining when we arrived. We had made the arduous trek up the streets with our luggage to the place we were staying, arriving soaking wet and tired. As we got settled, the rain cleared and I ventured out to explore the quaint, beautiful city. I stumbled upon a path that was different than the main streets of the city and rose up behind the town, leading up into the hills. As the path climbed higher it became narrower and more secluded within the surrounding forest. Eventually, it opened up near the top of the hill and the ruins of the medieval fortress emerged over the tops of the trees to a clearing on the top of the hill. I sat down and soaked in the view as the sun began the set. 

The winds from the passing storm still lingered and the setting sun broke through the storm clouds above the picturesque city below. And in the beauty and stillness of that place I felt the Lord say, “I made all of this for you, so that you would know my love for you.” It reminded me of the words of St. Augustine:

Question the beauty of the earth, question the beauty of the sea, question the beauty of the air, amply spread around everywhere, question the beauty of the sky, question the serried ranks of the stars, question the sun making the day glorious with its bright beams, question the moon tempering the darkness of the following night with its shining rays, question the animals that move in the waters, that amble about on dry land, that fly in the air; their souls hidden, their bodies evident; the visible bodies needing to be controlled, the invisible souls controlling them; question all these things. They all answer you, 'Here we are, look ; we're beautiful.' Their beauty is their confession. Who made these beautiful changeable things, if not one who is beautiful and unchangeable? - St. Augustine, Sermons, 241, Easter: c.411 A.D.

Nature is the Lord’s first Cathedral. When we experience it’s beauty our eyes and hearts are drawn heavenward, and our souls are compelled to cry out with words like the Psalmist: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.” 

I lingered there for as long as I could, soaking in every moment. I hiked back up there the following night to see the Lord craft the masterpiece yet again and bask in the beauty of it all. Every frustration, problem, feeling of exhaustion and homesickness disappeared in those moments, because when we can focus on what the Lord has done for us, we cannot help but be overwhelmed by joy. Every prayer I have prayed since has brought me back to that spot, where every worry pales in comparison to the grandeur of God. 

Go outside.

Go visit the Lord’s first and most beautiful Cathedral.

Find His fingerprints in the craftsmanship of His creation.

He made it all for you, so that you would know His love for you.

Let that bring you joy this week.

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, October 27th, 2024, the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B: Psalms 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6.