“FIRST IMPRESSIONS”
4th SUNDAY OF EASTER (B)
April 21, 2024
Acts 4: 8-12; Psalm 118;
1 John 3: 1-2; John 10: 11-18
by Jude Siciliano, OP
Dear Preachers:
Have you noticed how often we pray the psalms...at least some of us? Nuns,
monks, priests, deacons pray the psalms, many psalms, every day. (It’s called
the Divine Office. The prayer book they carry with those Psalms is called a
Breviary.) But what about the rest of us Catholics? Some pray the psalms when we
make retreats, others pick up their Bible daily to pray a psalm or two as part
of their prayer. Does that describe us, is that what we do?
When asked, “How many Scripture readings are there at your Eucharistic
celebrations?” we tend to say: “Two at daily mass, three on Sundays.” Notice we
usually do not count the psalm response (“Responsorial Psalm”) to the first
readings. I would suggest, for some, psalms are treated like a second-class form
of scriptures, not as important as the rest of the biblical books.
As an overview: there are 150 poem prayers we call “The Psalms.” They are
divided into five books (Psalms 1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107-150). The
particular numbering might vary. The fivefold division is an imitation of the
Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures. They were used in
liturgical settings and for personal prayers – and still are. Jesus’ parents
would have taught him the psalms. The psalms we call “Responsorial Psalms,” are
frequently put to musical settings for our liturgical celebrations.
Every time we come to Mass, Sundays and weekdays, as well as for baptisms,
funerals, and weddings, there is at least one psalm at each service. There are
Psalms of praise, thanksgiving, petition, confession of sin, and lament. They
are poetic prayers and so fit many human moods, needs, and hungers. You can find
a psalm to express your mood and need for the day.
Did you notice the Responsorial Psalm after the first reading today? It was
taken from Psalm 118 and is a thanksgiving psalm (suitable to pray more than on
just Thanksgiving day). It can express, or even stir us, to thanksgiving and, if
needed, make us aware of our all-loving God and the gifts God gives us daily.
Psalm 118 has 29 verses. Nine have been chosen as a response to our first
reading from the Acts of the Apostles. We will focus on the chosen nine, but for
a fuller reading why not go to your Bible and pray the full Psalm 118 from the
Book of Psalms?
As poetic prayers the psalms can touch us, as poetry does, at a deeper level
than ordinary words. They can help us slow down, stir our imagination to play
with different words and images. So, for example, to pick a word from today’s
Psalm 118, where and to whom do we go for “refuge?” How do we do that? How is
God our refuge?
Psalms encourage us to pause over a word, or image; ask questions; explore the
feelings the psalmist stirs up; cast a loving gaze on God. We do not just read a
psalm and move on to what’s next, as when we read historical or informational
document. We can approach a psalm from different perspectives. For example, how
would a young person, widow, newlywed, infirmed senior, etc. hear and pray this
Psalm? Try praying the psalm with one of them in mind.
Psalm 118 is prayed by a thankful person. There are about 20 psalms of
thanksgiving; some are personal, others are the grateful prayers of the
community. Thanksgiving psalms seem to overflow with joy and receptivity. The
person praying a thanksgiving psalm seems surprised by God. We can sense that
wonder and surprise when the psalmist prays, “By the Lord has this been done; it
is wonderful in our eyes.” Thanksgiving psalms build up a relationship of
gratitude with God. Doesn’t that happen when someone does us a favor, or
surprises us with a gift we haven’t earned and our singular response is, “Thank
you?”
The first reading incorporates a verse from today’s psalm: “The stone which the
builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Acts identifies Jesus as the one
who suffered, was rejected and then exalted by God.) The psalm encourages us and
the community to give thanks for God’s marvelous deeds and, when necessary, to
seek refuge in God who is trustworthy and will not fail us. “It is better to
take refuge in the Lord God.…” Notice how the psalm uses repetitions. “Give
thanks to the Lord….”, addressed to the community (The opening and closing
verse), and, “I will give thanks to you for you have answered me.”, addressed to
God. By repetition the psalmist is doing what we do when we want to stress an
important point, we repeat, or use similar words for the same purpose.
Grateful acknowledgment of God’s gifts leads us to the Eucharist, our community
prayer of thanksgiving. (The Greek word “eucharistes,” means to give thanks.)
For what, or whom, shall we give thanks in our celebration today? The gifts of
creation; our family; church community; sufficient food; good medical care,
etc.? And, as we pray our psalm of thanks, we are also aware of those without
food; healthcare; safety for their families; employment, etc. The psalm of
thanks stirs our awareness of others in our world who are without and challenges
us to ask, “How can I help them so they too will give thanks to God?”
Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/042124.cfm