Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known, even to people with limited knowledge of scripture. It is a beautiful and encouraging song of faith and hope in God's role as shepherd of our lives.
When I was in my final year of seminary, there were a lot of last-minute details to take care of, and one that had escaped me was to create a small ordination prayer card. Some of my classmates probably had theirs done at the beginning of the year, but there I was about two weeks before ordination, looking for an image of Jesus and a suitable scriptural verse.
Encouragement on the Journey
That's when Psalm 23 came to mind. I thought of it because it had always encouraged me in my journey, whether before seminary or during the six years of formation. And then, at the age of forty, I had seen enough life to realize that at times, we do walk through dark valleys, whether in an illness of our own or those we love, strained or broken relationships with one another or God, struggles at work or in school, or related to our financial security.
But I also saw how God gives us the courage and direction to persevere, to overcome our fears, discouragement, or weaknesses. And though life can be hard, God's goodness and kindness do and will follow us all our lives until one day, please God, we will dwell in the house of the Lord for all time.
Now, almost twenty years later, as I sat last night praying and reflecting on today's readings and all that has taken place in the lives of my family, friends, parishioners, and other good people I've met along the way, I, and I'd bet you, can attest to the words of Psalm 23.
Jesus Heal Us
I thought about this in relation to today's gospel and how Jesus hears the cries of the ten people suffering from leprosy who call out, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" Jesus doesn't need to examine them but instead tells them right away what they should do —show themselves to the priests.
It struck me that along their way to seeing the priests, in the faith of Jesus, in a sense, there was a delay in their healing. They weren't healed right on the spot, or were they? It does say that "As they were going, they were cleansed." One interpretation is that Jesus wanted them to learn obedience to God as a part of the healing process. Perhaps we've experienced a similar experience, that it took our following the teachings of God, seeking to do His will for us to be healed through Confession or other means of His grace. It reminds me of Fr. Steven's homily yesterday when he spoke about learning to become obedient to God in all areas of our lives.
Also, did you notice the word "realized" in relation to the man with leprosy realizing that he had been healed? Does it sometimes take us a while to realize God's healing touch upon our lives or our loved ones? I think it can, but the important thing is that we do recognize God's healing power.
Freedom for Darkness
Finally, we can learn from the one man who returned to Jesus that once we realize the healing or freedom from dark times, it is right to give thanks to God. It is a reminder to not only be petitioners with our prayers of supplication but also to be thoughtful expressors of gratitude for the Lord who shepherds and refreshes our souls through every chapter of our lives so that we can joyfully say, "The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want" if only we let Him lead us.
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
