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Father David's Reflection for Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 6, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm tells us where to look for support and confirmation when we feel alone in our faith: "O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge" (Psalm 7). In Jeremiah 11: 18-20 the prophet has become aware that his enemies "were hatching plots" against him. He had not realized this, and it was a blow to him. It is always hard to realize that people not only disagree with us but actually dislike and condemn us because of what we believe. We are members of the human race and

Father David's Reflection for Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 5, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm tells us that when things are going badly all is well: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34). Opposition from others can be a consoling sign that we are authentic disciples of Jesus. Wisdom 2: 1-22 tells us the mind set of those who are angered by people who try to live by the words and example of the Lord. The disciples are "obnoxious" to them, because their life "is not like that of others" and their ways are "different." The disciples b

Father David's Reflection for Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 4, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent

To understand the Response to the Responsorial Psalm we need to read it as it appears in the whole Psalm: "Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you deliver them" (Psalm 106). The Psalmist takes for granted God is going to help his people; that is what God does. "For their sake he remembered his covenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love." He is asking God to act in the same way toward him. In the Mass Resp

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 3, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is the "identity card" of God: "The Lord is gracious and merciful" (Psalm 145). This is a touchstone that tells us whether teaching or conduct that claims to be done in God's name is truly from God or not. Isaiah 49: 8-15 describes God as one who frees people who are bound up in darkness. In contrast to this, how many people feel bound up and prohibited from freely approaching God or the sacraments because of rigid teaching that misled them? The God Isa

Father David's Reflection for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 2, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is a profession of faith that all our good and protection lie in God: "The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob" (Psalm 46). This also provides us with a key to guide our discipleship. Ezekiel 47: 1-12 is in fact, although Ezekiel didn't know it, a prediction about the fruits of Baptism. The true water that "gladdens the city of God" (Psalm 46) is the life-giving water of Baptism. "Wherever the river flows, every sort of living

Father David's Reflection for Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Apr 1, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is an acceptance of God's way of saving the world: "I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me" (Psalm 30). Not everyone praises God for the kind of rescue he offers in Jesus. Those in Jesus' own time who wanted a Messiah who would deliver them from Roman oppression did not welcome him. They wanted a Messiah who would fill their country with prosperity, peace and justice by stamping out evil - with force, if necessary, human or divine. When they r

Father David's Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 31, 2019

Father David's Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Inventory Who fed me when I was little? Who feeds me (earns my daily bread) now? Who first nourished me with the Bread of Life, with the word of God? Who is feeding me with this bread, teaching me about God, now? Input The Entrance Antiphon tells us that those who "rejoice with the Church" (the new Jerusalem) and love her will "find contentment at her consoling breasts." The Church is a nourishing mother. But we have to recognize her as such, be glad of what she offers, and s

Father David's Reflection for Third Saturday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 30, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Third Saturday of Lent

The Response to Psalm 51 is from Hosea 6:6: "I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice." And the verse continues: "...the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." The theme of all three readings is that God looks to the heart, not to external actions. What he wants from us is deep, enduring love and the desire to know him, not just "orthodoxy" or acts of religious observance, no matter how good these are in themselves. Hosea 6: 1-6 is a call to conversion that tells us

Father David's Reflection for Third Friday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 29, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Third Friday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is an invitation to wisdom: "I am the Lord your God: hear my voice" (Psalm 81). Wisdom is defined as "taste for spiritual things" (cf. the Latin sapientia, sapor, and the English "savor"). All three readings are encouraging us to seek our well-being through relationship with God: hearing his voice as disciples and loving what we hear. This is wisdom. In Hosea 14: 2-10 God reveals that his response to our guilt is love. God draws us to himself through lo

Father David's Reflection for Third Thursday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 28, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Third Thursday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is an unexpected response to the first reading. It urges us: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts" (Psalm 95). But in the first reading, God tells Jeremiah (7: 23-28) that when he commanded his people, "Listen to my voice. they obeyed not." Nor did they listen to the prophets. And he warns Jeremiah, "When you speak. they will not listen to you either!" God is painting a pretty dim picture of his people at that time. And we might think in

Father David's Reflection for Third Wednesday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 27, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Third Wednesday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm invites us to focus on how good and life-giving God's teachings are, so that we will appreciate him: "Praise the Lord, Jerusalem" (Psalm 147). Praise will lead us to appreciation. Deuteronomy 4: 1-9 focuses, not on the requirements of God's law, or on the difficulty of obeying them (both things we tend to focus on), but on how wise and life-giving they are. "Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live

Father David's Reflection for Third Tuesday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 26, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Third Tuesday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm calls us to believe that, whatever our starting point is, God will help us: "Remember your mercies, O Lord" (Psalm 25). Psalm 25 makes God's mercy very concrete: "Your ways make known to me; teach me your paths; guide me in your truth.." To "have mercy" means to "come to the aid of another out of a sense of relationship." God has mercy on us, not just by "zapping" us unilaterally from on high, but by interacting with us, guiding us, helping us to help o

Father David's Reflection for Third Monday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 25, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Third Monday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm teaches us to listen to our heart and follow it: "Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?" (Psalms 42-43). Kings 5:1-15 shows us a common reason why we don't make progress in the spiritual life: we won't do the small, easy things because we think they won't have any effect. So we do nothing. Naaman was willing to invest a huge amount of time and money to be cured of his leprosy. But all the prophet told him was

Father David's Reflection for the Third Sunday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 24, 2019

Father David's Reflection for the Third Sunday of Lent

Disciples in Action Inventory Why is there so much suffering in the world? Do the bad things that follow from sin only hit the people who are guilty of sin, or does everybody suffer from them? What is the Christian response to the sin and suffering of the world? Input The Entrance Antiphon calls us to believe that God can and will free us from whatever diminishes human life on earth: "My eyes are ever fixed on the Lord, for he releases my feet from the snare." God will do thi

Father David's Reflection for Second Saturday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 23, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Second Saturday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm gives us courage to convert to God with our whole heart: "The Lord is kind and merciful" (Psalm 103). Micah 7: 14-20 tells us God will "cast into the depths of the sea all our sins," and "shepherd" us, guide us to where we can "feed" on truth and grow into the fullness of life. When we turn to God, he doesn't just accept us; he comes out and embraces us, and fills us with blessings that enrich our life. This is what Jesus tells us in the story of the "p

Father David's Reflection for Second Friday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 22, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Second Friday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm encourages us to remember what God has done in order to trust in what he will do: "Remember the marvels the Lord has done" (Psalm 105). In Joseph's story (Genesis 37:3-28) we can only recognize "the marvels the Lord has done" with hindsight. Now that we know what Joseph did for his family later, we can see God's guiding hand in the choice his brothers made, first not to kill him outright, then to sell him into slavery. But as Joseph was led off to a fo

Father David's Reflection for Second Thursday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 21, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Second Thursday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm tells us where to look for security: "Blessed are they who hope in the Lord" (Psalm 1). But the Psalm makes clear that this is not just blind hope. The hope that is real is the hope we act on. So the one who "hopes in the Lord" is one who "meditates on his law day and night" to understand it. This is discipleship. Jeremiah 17: 5-10 says the disciple is "like a tree planted beside the waters, that stretches out its roots to the stream." True conversion t

Father David's Reflection for Second Wednesday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 20, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Second Wednesday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is an act of trust in God in the face of opposition and danger: "Save me, O Lord, in your steadfast love!" (Psalm 31). In Jeremiah 18: 18-20 people are plotting against Jeremiah although he has done nothing but good for them. And he is outspoken to God about it: "Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them." Being good does not keep us from

Father David's Reflection for Second Tuesday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 19, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Second Tuesday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm tells us: "To those who go the right way I will show the salvation of God" (Psalm 50). God is not setting conditions on his help; he is saying that if we follow his path he can show us where it leads. So we need to pay attention and learn. Isaiah 1: 10-20 calls us to discipleship: "Hear the word of the LORD. Listen to the teaching of our God.." If we are not intent on learning from God how to live, all our devotions, rituals, religious festivals and rec

Father David's Reflection for Second Monday of Lent

Father David M. Knight

Mar 18, 2019

Father David's Reflection for Second Monday of Lent

The Responsorial Psalm is an admission that we are always "falling short" of the (divine) level of life to which we are called: "Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve" (Psalm 79). Daniel 9: 4-10 shows us why we fall short: "I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, 'Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have not listened.'" We don't live

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