Liturgical Psalm for March 27, 2019

Wednesday of the third week of Lent.

The first reading in today’s Mass is presented as the  final advice by Moses to God’s people to be ever aware of and faithful to the Word of God – here called His statutes and decrees – or what they traditionally called the Torah, or Law.  As a reflection upon this counsel, the liturgy presents us with six of the twenty verses of Psalm 147, i.e. verses 12 & 13, 15 &16 and 19 & 20.  Psalm 147, by the way is part of the great Hallel (praise) traditionally used to conclude the Passover supper, sung by Jesus and the Apostles after the Last Supper, on the way to Gethsemani.  This Psalm reflects the counsel of Moses to be ever grateful for the privilege of receiving the gift of God’s word. It wasn’t given to everyone.  We Christians need to bear in mind that God’s Word for us means both what has been handed down in the Bible and the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ. The world is still waiting for everyone to get the message, to receive the word.  May we be forever grateful for His choosing us. Thanks be to God!