The Abiding Presence of the Lord

Today’s responsorial psalm, Psalm 102, reminds us that the Lord abides with us forever. David, the author of the psalms, says to the Lord: “You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to pity her.”  It is time for the Lord to pity the world, to pity the U.S., and all other nations also involved in violence and corruption.

               “For her stones are dear to your servants [, Lord,]

and her dust moves them to pity.

The nations shall revere your name, O Lord,

 and all the kings of the earth your glory,

 when the Lord has rebuilt Zion

 and appeared in his glory;

when he regarded the prayer of the destitute,

and not despised their prayer. 

Let this be written,” David says to us,

 “for the generation to come,

and let his future creatures praise the Lord:

‘The Lord looked down from his holy height,

from heaven he beheld the earth,

to hear the groaning of the prisoners,

to release those doomed to die.’”

 Furthermore, in the words of this same psalm:

                 [W]e [cry] out in anguish under your chastising.

                As a woman about to give birth

                writhes and cries out in her pains,

                so we in your presence, O Lord.

                We conceived [evil] and writhed in pain,

                giving birth to wind;

                salvation we have not achieved for the earth

                [by whatever means we foolishly thought  we

                might save ourselves].

                The inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth.”

 So, out of your love for us, you sent  a Savior, Your Son, our brother, who died that we might have life with You for all eternity. Every moment of every day, our redemption is being accomplished during our brief sojourn here on earth. You would have it no other way, Lord!  What Love! What Mercy! What Compassion!