For centuries, people have turned to the Psalms to find expressions of the joys and frustrations of life and faith. Humans still being humans, they’re as relevant today as they were when they were written.
“Catholic Central: The Psalms” show you that these Biblical verses are more than the part of Mass when the cantor looks like she’s landing a fighter jet! Kai and Libby take you through the different kinds of Psalms and how they can help YOUR prayer life.
Diving Deeper
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What are some ways that you can include the psalms in your daily prayer?
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Do any of the psalms jump out at you as something you can relate to? Why?
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The psalms express “vertical emotions,” that is, feelings that we have towards God like joy, gratitude, desolation, serenity, etc. Which vertical emotion are you feeling now? Which do you usually feel?
Activity
The Responsorial Psalm for every Sunday Mass is intentionally chosen by the Church to go with the First Reading. Read all of the Mass readings and the psalm for the upcoming Sunday. Identify the feeling (joy, gratitude, desolation, serenity, etc.) of the psalm, and explain why that particular psalm was chosen for the First Reading. Then think about how the reading and psalm speak to you.
Reflection by Father Vince Kuna, C.S.C.
As a faithful Jew, tradition holds that Jesus prayed the psalms. So, conforming oneself to a life of Christ is not just about considering what Jesus would do, but also praying as He did. Through the course of the day, pray the various psalm prayers of the day: morning, daytime, evening and night prayer. Getting into a rhythm of praying the Office of Prayer (Liturgy of the Hours) will hopefully get you closer to our Lord.
