Psalm Reflection: The Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B

“May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.” - Psalm 128

Have you ever prayed for an answer you already had? Or for a miracle that had already occurred? Of course not. We pray for things we need and hope to happen in the present or in the future, not for things in the past. The strange thing about this Psalm is that it is expressing a prayer for something that has already happened. God has already blessed us and has already been promised that He will bless us every day of our lives. We know it because we are alive! Every single moment of life is a sign that God is willing us into existence. He is blessing you now as you read this simply by reminding you that you are alive in this moment by His own will and power sustaining the life within you.

I think the problem with recognizing this is what we see as a “blessing,” or being “blessed.” #Blessed is attached to thousands of photos and news feeds online about completely shallow, materialistic and trivial things. “Blessed” seems in these instances to usually mean “comfortable,” “happy,” or “satisfied” to most people, focusing on some extra thing or experience they would not have otherwise had, or things simply working out in their favor. No one ever uses this kind of “blessed” language on a bad day or when things are going wrong. It is all about us.

The true reality of being “blessed” is not about earthly comforts. Rather, it is a disposition of the heart that is soaked in gratitude. Nothing is promised. The only thing I can claim ownership of in my life is my sin. Every good thing in my life (family, gifts, talents, health, virtue, etc.) comes from God. It is all His, out on loan to me in my life simply by His grace. What a gift. All I am capable of doing without the help of God is to turn away from Him. This means that every good thing God has given me is completely undeserved, as I can independently generate nothing for Him in return but separation and rebellion. 

Do you see how utterly reliant we are on God? Do you see how, even in the moments when you think He is gone, that He is still actively working in your life despite us being completely undeserving?

The Old Testament prophet Hosea was called to marry a prostitute named Gomer, to show to the Israelites how they treated God. We have a devoted and perfect bridegroom in Jesus Christ who is willing to lay down His life for us, mistakes and all, and we are the adulterous spouse, turning away from God for the next fad, desire, trend, priority, experience, opportunity or simply out of being too busy. No other spouse on earth would stand for it, and yet our God receives it and still continues to sustain us, puts breath in our lungs, and loves us into being.

If we can truly comprehend the magnitude of that gift, how unworthy we are of it, and how ridiculously abundant it is, we will realize that the Lord does truly bless us each and every day of our lives.

This week, I invite you make a list of everything God has given you in the past week (Hint: absolutely everything good that happened or about your life. Everything but your sins). Let yourself soak in gratitude for a God who loves us despite our constant distraction and infidelity. Recognize that these things do not revolve around you and your abilities or luck, but they revolve around a God who loves you. Thank you, Jesus.

I am praying for you this week, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt