The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Written by Fr. Kyle Sanders
I find sometimes that the Psalms reorient my mind and my heart when I've gone astray in my thinking or in my actions. They are these sign posts that set me back on the path toward the Father and away from lies and sins. Psalm 23 is one of those bedrock psalms, for me and for many people. It's one of the most well known; it has its own following. It shows up on kitschy art for grandmothers to decorate their kitchens. It seems to ubiquitously arrive at funerals. It has this deep attachment for so many because of the extreme hope it communicates, "even though I walk through the dark valley, I fear no evil for you are with me."
That is verse four of only six verses and the Church, in her sometimes frustrating wisdom, chose to omit that verse in this week's responsorial psalm. Throughout the Lectionary she does that; she omits portions of a passage. It always makes me ask "why?" Sometimes it's out of frustration because a favorite verse or passage is skipped over, but most often, especially for me as a preacher, it's more of, "Holy Spirit, why have you left this out today? What are you saying?" Sort of like the idea of music being about the space in between notes as much as about the notes themselves.
So I found myself asking that question and letting the Holy Spirit lead me back to my original thought, that the Psalms can help to reorient and dispel lies. There are days when, despite my best efforts, it seems like I'm the only one showing up when I pray and that I'm trying to eat the scraps from 'more fruitful' times in prayer. And yet "you spread the table before me in the sight of my foes, you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows," and "Beside restful waters he leads me, he refreshes my soul." This prayer of David reminds me of who God is, the superabundant giver. He is never not that. With those words, in the desert that is prayer sometimes, I need not worry or get anxious that I don't see water or feel its coolness on my lips and tongue. I am being hydrated, and fed, in a way that I cannot feel nor do I understand. I know this to be true because I can look back and see it in action. No matter what I feel, his gift to me is superabundant. He is the shepherd giving me all I need.
In these five verses, God is shining a light on the lies we hear. In these five verses, what lie is the Holy Spirit shining on for you?
Fr. Kyle Sanders is eleven years a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is pastor of St. Joachim Parish in Marrero, LA. He is an amateur musician and composer, doing it out of love for music, when and where he can. His time is mostly spent in ministry. In his free time, when he's not playing or listening to music, he's spending time with friends and family, playing board games, reading, doing calligraphy, or just using his fountain pens. He is a regular host for the Liturgy Resources Podcast and also records his homilies for his parish. You can find him on Instagram.
Pray with today’s psalm.