Psalm Reflection: The Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C

“Praise the Lord, my soul!” - Psalms 146

I have a love-hate relationship with moving. I am very organized and everything has a place where it belongs. Whenever we move, that system is dismantled. On top of that, with three children we have so much more stuff than we used to, so every move is more arduous and difficult than the last. However, I love moving because it is an opportunity to purge all of the possessions we do not need and reorganize a new space.

As I read the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, I was praying about what it looks like to praise the Lord fully. Lately, the Lord has been revealing it to me through the lens of moving.

A mistake we often make in the spiritual life is to compartmentalize God. We make God only a facet of our lives, and occasionally we invite Him over to our place when it is convenient for our schedules or when we need something from Him. Having a relationship with the Lord is not a part-time job. Instead it is like moving in with the Lord.

When we move, especially into someone else’s space, everything we bring with us needs to be scrutinized and needs a place. Some things cannot come with us when we live with the Lord: sins, vices, etc. Whatever does remain is His. When something new arises—an opportunity, an unexpected change in circumstances, a new relationship—it is as if a package was just delivered to us at the Lord’s house. We need to bring it inside and open it with the Lord, and decide where it fits in the life we have built together.

When the Psalmist proclaims, “praise the Lord, my soul,” he is invoking the entirety of who we are. Our soul is the part of us that animates our being and gives us life, so without our soul we have nothing. Everything that we are can praise the Lord. So, instead of inviting God into parts of our lives, every part of our lives should be invited to God because we dwell with Him.

“For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” - Romans 14:8

“You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.” He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague, He will shelter you with his pinions, and under his wings you may take refuge; his faithfulness is a protecting shield.” - Psalms 91:1-4

When we live with this mentality, everything becomes an offering to the Lord and an opportunity to praise Him. He is present in the midst of every moment and facet of our lives, because we dwell with Him. I invite you to bring this image to prayer and imagine your home with the Lord. 

What does it look like? 

What is there and what needs to be thrown out? 

Are there sins, attachments, or distractions that are cluttering the space where God desires to dwell? 

Sometimes these things are obvious—grudges we hold, habits of sin, or ways we prioritize worldly success over our relationship with God. Other times, they are more subtle, like an over-reliance on our own plans or a refusal to trust God fully with our future.

St. Ignatius of Loyola often spoke of the need for detachment, teaching that we should be free from anything that keeps us from choosing God above all else. He said, “We should not fix our desires on health or sickness, wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or a short one. For everything has the potential of calling forth in us a deeper response to our life in God.” This freedom allows us to live fully for the Lord, unburdened by the weight of unnecessary attachments.

Imagine your life as a home shared with God. Is there a room you have kept locked, a closet where you have hidden things you do not want Him to see? Perhaps it is time to open that door and let Him in. Jesus does not come to condemn but to heal, to help you clear out what does not belong and make space for His grace.

When we surrender everything to God, we find that what remains is not emptiness but freedom. Freedom to live as He created us to be, freedom to love without fear, and freedom to praise Him with our whole being. So, as you reflect on this Psalm, ask yourself: What do I need to let go of to make more room for God? And then, trust Him to help you do it.

I am praying for you. Please pray for me and my family, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, September 28th, 2025, the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C: Psalms 146:7, 8-9, 9-10.