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Dear Preachers:
 Have you noticed how often we pray the psalms...at least some of us? Nuns,
monks, priests, deacons pray the psalms, many psalms, every day. (It’s called
the Divine Office. The prayer book they carry with those Psalms is called a
Breviary.) But what about the rest of us Catholics? Some pray the psalms when we
make retreats, others pick up their Bible daily to pray a psalm or two as part
of their prayer. Does that describe us, is that what we do?
When asked, “How many Scripture readings are there at your Eucharistic
celebrations?” we tend to say: “Two at daily mass, three on Sundays.” Notice we
usually do not count the psalm response (“Responsorial Psalm”) to the first
readings. I would suggest, for some, psalms are treated like a second-class form
of scriptures, not as important as the rest of the biblical books.
As an overview: there are 150 poem prayers we call “The Psalms.” They are
divided into five books (Psalms 1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107-150). The
particular numbering might vary. The fivefold division is an imitation of the
Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures. They were used in
liturgical settings and for personal prayers – and still are. Jesus’ parents
would have taught him the psalms. The psalms we call “Responsorial Psalms,” are
frequently put to musical settings for our liturgical celebrations.
Every time we come to Mass, Sundays and weekdays, as well as for baptisms,
funerals, and weddings, there is at least one psalm at each service. There are
Psalms of praise, thanksgiving, petition, confession of sin, and lament. They
are poetic prayers and so fit many human moods, needs, and hungers. You can find
a psalm to express your mood and need for the day.
Did you notice the Responsorial Psalm after the first reading today? It was
taken from Psalm 118 and is a thanksgiving psalm (suitable to pray more than on
just Thanksgiving day). It can express, or even stir us, to thanksgiving and, if
needed, make us aware of our all-loving God and the gifts God gives us daily.
Psalm 118 has 29 verses. Nine have been chosen as a response to our first
reading from the Acts of the Apostles. We will focus on the chosen nine, but for
a fuller reading why not go to your Bible and pray the full Psalm 118 from the
Book of Psalms?
As poetic prayers the psalms can touch us, as poetry does, at a deeper level
than ordinary words. They can help us slow down, stir our imagination to play
with different words and images. So, for example, to pick a word from today’s
Psalm 118, where and to whom do we go for “refuge?” How do we do that? How is
God our refuge?
Psalms encourage us to pause over a word, or image; ask questions; explore the
feelings the psalmist stirs up; cast a loving gaze on God. We do not just read a
psalm and move on to what’s next, as when we read historical or informational
document. We can approach a psalm from different perspectives. For example, how
would a young person, widow, newlywed, infirmed senior, etc. hear and pray this
Psalm? Try praying the psalm with one of them in mind.
Psalm 118 is prayed by a thankful person. There are about 20 psalms of
thanksgiving; some are personal, others are the grateful prayers of the
community. Thanksgiving psalms seem to overflow with joy and receptivity. The
person praying a thanksgiving psalm seems surprised by God. We can sense that
wonder and surprise when the psalmist prays, “By the Lord has this been done; it
is wonderful in our eyes.” Thanksgiving psalms build up a relationship of
gratitude with God. Doesn’t that happen when someone does us a favor, or
surprises us with a gift we haven’t earned and our singular response is, “Thank
you?”
The first reading incorporates a verse from today’s psalm: “The stone which the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Acts identifies Jesus as the one
who suffered, was rejected and then exalted by God.) The psalm encourages us and
the community to give thanks for God’s marvelous deeds and, when necessary, to
seek refuge in God who is trustworthy and will not fail us. “It is better to
take refuge in the Lord God.…” Notice how the psalm uses repetitions. “Give
thanks to the Lord….”, addressed to the community (The opening and closing
verse), and, “I will give thanks to you for you have answered me.”, addressed to
God. By repetition the psalmist is doing what we do when we want to stress an
important point, we repeat, or use similar words for the same purpose.
Grateful acknowledgment of God’s gifts leads us to the Eucharist, our community
prayer of thanksgiving. (The Greek word “eucharistes,” means to give thanks.)
For what, or whom, shall we give thanks in our celebration today? The gifts of
creation; our family; church community; sufficient food; good medical care,
etc.? And, as we pray our psalm of thanks, we are also aware of those without
food; healthcare; safety for their families; employment, etc. The psalm of
thanks stirs our awareness of others in our world who are without and challenges
us to ask, “How can I help them so they too will give thanks to God?”
Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042124.cfm
JUSTICE BULLETIN BOARD
Beloved, we are God’s children now.
—1 John 3:2
Have you ever stopped to observe how often adults act like children at their
worst? Who has the latest car? Who shows off granite countertops? Who follows
celebrity, be it sports or movies? Who keeps up with the Joneses? An adult can
act like a bully, take advantage of others, or act in his/her own selfish
interests. Clearly, today’s passage calls us to examine how we should be as a
child of God. Perhaps, it is a good time to get back to basics. Most Americans
know the ethical and moral “GoldenRule .” What we may not realize is how it is
planted in most secular and religious cultures.
African Traditional : “One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird
should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.” —Yoruba proverb (Nigeria)
Bahá’í : “Desire not for anyone the things that ye would not desire for
yourselves.” —Gleanings from the writings of Bahá’u’lláh LXVI
Buddhism : “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” —Udana-Varga,
5:18
Christianity : “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you.”
—Bible, Matthew 7.12
Confucianism : “Tsekung asked, ‘Is there one word that can serve as a principal
of conduct for life?’ Confucius replied, ‘It is the word shu -reciprocity: Do
not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.’” —Analects 15.23 (ca
500 BC)
Hinduism : “This is the sum of duty. Do not unto others that which would cause
you pain if done to you.” —Mahabharrata 5:1517
Islam : “Act with people the way you would like them to act with you.” —Al-Malati,
Kitab al-Tanbih, Attributed to Muhammad
Judaism : (Positive) “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” —Bible,
Leviticus 19.18
Native American : “Respect for all life is the foundation.” —The Great Law of
Peace
Sikhism : “Treat others as thou wouldst be treated thyself.” —Adi Granth
Taoism : “Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and your neighbor’s loss
as your own loss.” —T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien
Zoroastrianism : “That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto
another whatsoever is not good for itself.” —Dadistan-I-Dinik, 94:5
Secular : “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Love speaks to us children in a lot of languages.
Barbara
Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director
Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
FAITH BOOK
 Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for
persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the
Sunday parish bulletins people take home.
From today’s Gospel reading:
Jesus said, “I am
the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Reflection:
There are a lot of
voices out there that can only distract and scatter us. Perhaps we’ve paid too
much attention to them at times in our lives. Through hard experience we have
learned that they don’t have our best interests at heart and if we listen to
them we are scattered. But the voice of the Shepherd, Jesus tells us, wants to
gather us. His voice can help us keep our wits about us in an often misguided
world.
So,
we ask ourselves:
POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES
"The death penalty is one of the great moral issues facing our country, yet most
people rarely think about it and very few of us take the time to delve deeply
enough into this issue to be able to make an informed decision about it."
– Sister Helen Prejean
Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each
week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite
you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have
not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or, whatever
personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you
might consider becoming pen pals.
Please write to:
-
Clinton Rose
#0351933 (On death row since 12/19/1991)
-
Terrance Elliott
#0120236 (12/18/2003
-
Daniel Cummings
#0095279 (12/16/1994)
----Central
Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
Please note:
Central Prison is in Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail to
inmates is processed through a clearing house at the above address in Maryland.
For more information
on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing
Network:
https://catholicsmobilizing.org/resources/cacp/
On this page you can
sign “The National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty.” Also, check the
interfaith page for People of Faith Against the Death Penalty:
http://www.pfadp.org/
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