Psalm of David

My Dear Parishioners,

This week our responsorial psalm is the beloved Psalm 23. Psalm 23 is a “Psalm of David” and is believed to have been composed by King David early in his reign, around 1000BC.

The image of the shepherd was a very familiar one in the ancient world, and King David himself shepherded sheep as recorded in the First Book of Samuel. This means that he had first hand knowledge of caring for sheep. He would later become the King of Israel, and yet he did not claim to be the true shepherd of Israel. No, he very clearly stated that God was the true shepherd of Israel.

This could be an act of humility because King David had received many blessings from the Lord. God called him to be the new King of Israel and then delivered him from the persecution of King Saul. God also forgave him for his sins of adultery. God also provided wise counsels-the prophets Samuel, Nathan, and Gad.

In the Psalm, King David celebrates just how close God was to him and the care God provided for him. For us Catholics, the Psalm is a celebration of Jesus, who is the True Shepherd. The Psalm also is a celebration of the Divine Gifts that we receive through Jesus, through His Church, and through the Sacraments that He instituted. Let us look at these hidden meanings of the Psalm:

• The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Jesus is the good shepherd who already knows the longing of our hearts: I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me (John 10:14), and For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7: 17).
• In verdant pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. Jesus releases our souls from bondage of sin through the Sacrament of Baptism and then allows us to receive many helps from Heaven: For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded, slaves to various desires and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful ourselves and hating one another. But when the kindness and generous love of God Our Savior appeared, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy; He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom He richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ Our Savior, so that we might be justified by His grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. (Titus 3: 3-7).
• He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side. Jesus has promised to be always with us, and He fulfills that promise through His Catholic Church and through the Sacraments: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt 28: 19-20). Jesus moreover sends us His own Blessed Mother to help us journey through this sometimes dark and scary world: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, hail our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
• With your rod and your staff that give me courage. We can say that the rod and the staff are the Commandments and the Beatitudes, that help keep us on the right Similarly, we can say that the rod and staff are whole of the Sacred Scriptures and the teachings of the Saints on how to live the Scriptures. The rod and staff can also represent the good Catholics that God has placed in our own lives that help keeps us on the path to Heaven. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5: 14-16)
• You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Along with Baptism, the Psalm foreshadows the other Sacraments of Initiation: the Most Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Most Holy Eucharist most especially is called the “Sacrament of Sacraments,” and we are most thankful that Jesus continues to make the Most Holy Eucharist available for us weekly, or even daily, in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In the Most Holy Eucharist, He very concretely makes Himself present to us: Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. In the Most Holy Eucharist, He makes our cups overflow with this beautiful promise: Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world. (John 6: 47-51).
• Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come. While not promising us a worry free or a pain free life, Jesus offers us a broader perspective, that the sufferings and the sacrifices in this life are nothing compared to the rewards to come: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,^* and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light. (Matthew 11: 28-30).

I hope that you find inspiration in this little reflection on Psalm

23.

In the Easter Season, many pray a beautiful little prayer to our Blessed Mother Mary called the Regina Caeli (Queen of Heaven prayer). It is a request to Mary to help us in experiencing the full joy of the Resurrection. The prayer in English and in Latin goes like this:

Queen of Heaven

1. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
2. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
3. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
4. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
5. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
6. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Regina Caeli

1. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
2. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
3. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
4. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
5. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
6. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Whether we pray this in English or Latin, may the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God help us to experience the joys of the Resurrection in this life and to see Jesus face to face in the beautiful life to come.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Church and our Patron, pray for us! St. Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles, pray for us!