Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 131: A Prayer of Simple Trust in the Lord—This short psalm of Ascents speaks of the simplicity of faith, comparing the believer to a weaned child who remains dependent upon his mother. As Christians, we are to live within our vocations. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. We are not to occupy ourselves with great matters or things that are too profound for us. We are to commend ourselves and our whole life to Christ, our Lord. To live in the humility of faith is not to dictate to God what He must do, but rather to receive from Him what He gives and to hope confidently in Him.

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 130: A Confession of Sin—As the faithful gathered for the daily evening sacrifice to confess their sins and receive the healing Word of forgiveness, each individual penitent prayed: “Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” Psalm 130, another song of Ascents, was prayed as the high priest entered into the holy place to lead the people in the confession of sin. Like the Tax Collector who cried, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” the psalmist places no faith in his own righteousness but lays his sin before his gracious Lord. “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning.” As we eagerly anticipate the absolution from the lips of our pastor, so the psalmist waited for the priest to emerge from the Temple and pronounce the Lord’s forgiveness to the penitent sinners. The foundation of the Church’s hope and confidence is that “with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption.”

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 129: Commemorating the Lord’s Deliverance of His People from Oppression—Throughout her history, the Children of Israel had many who rose up against her. Often these enemies visited God’s judgment upon Israel for her rebellion against the Lord, but that did not change the Lord’s favorable disposition toward Israel. Israel was still His chosen one, and He did not tolerate the enemies of Israel to gloat over her, even when His judgment was visited upon her. Psalm 129, a psalm of Ascent, celebrates the Lord’s faithfulness in delivering her from all her enemies. The whole congregation of Israel prayed as one man: “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,” Let Israel now say — “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.” The enemies of Israel were like farmers who plowed long furrows on her back, yet the Lord delivered her. Psalm 129 also claims the Lord’s promise to “bless those who bless Israel and to curse those who curse her,” by saying, “Let all those who hate Zion be put to shame and turned back.” The promise of deliverance that the Lord made to the Old Testament Church applies to the New Testament Church today. In the end, God will vindicate His people who put their trust in Him. We pray for this daily, even as we accept the chastening of the Lord for our good.CP211017

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 128: A Prayer of Blessing for Those Who Fear the Lord—Psalm 128 is a companion psalm to 127, which extols the gift of marriage and children. The foundation for God’s blessing in the home is the fear of the Lord and walking in His ways. To do what God has given us to do, according to His Word, gives great satisfaction. “When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.” The fruitfulness of the wife for a faithful Christian husband is not only in the children she bears but, as she receives the love of her husband, she has the capacity and blessing of bearing the fruit of faithful love and service for her children. When the fear of the Lord is the foundation of family life, children are like olive plants around the table. “Thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.” The references to Zion and Jerusalem indicate that the Lord’s blessing comes from His Church through the comforting preaching and life-giving gifts of the Sacraments. Those who fear the Lord gather regularly to receive His peace in the Divine Service.

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CP211003     Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 127: The Lord Alone Preserves the Family—Without the Lord “building” our marriages, homes, and families by His gracious Word and Spirit we can accomplish nothing of lasting value or worth. Psalm 127 gives all glory and honor to the Lord as the one who builds, establishes, and protects our families and the city in which we dwell. Our efforts, apart from faith and prayer, accomplish nothing. “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” This psalm of Ascent paints a beautiful picture that contrasts our striving apart from the Lord’s Word and faith with the rest that the Lord alone gives to His beloved who trust in Him. Furthermore, Psalm 127 speaks against the prevailing wisdom of our age by extolling children as a precious gift from God. “Children are a heritage from the Lord…Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.” Even though God has given us work to do in our station in life, happiness, contentment, and peace comes, not from our striving, but from the gifts and provisions that Lord provides in Christ to sustain us. Those who trust in Him will never be put to shame and will triumph over their enemies.