Island of One

A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, July 2nd, 2023:
The Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

---

Psalm 89

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance; they exult in your name all day long, and extol your righteousness.

R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.
​
For you are the glory of their strength; by your favour our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

​R. Forever I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

At high noon, I arrived at my home parish for Mass. Mid-week and mid-afternoon, I walked toward the main doors, and as I walked, the fog in the distance caught my eye. It was blanketing the horizon and laying softly on the rooftop of a neighbouring church, nearly obscuring the cross that adorned its peak. Oh, how the fog in my own life has nearly obscured any perceivable outward sign of Christ in me. 

Fog often surrounds me in the form of pride — this erroneous sense of I-can-do-it-myself-ness that leads me to my island of solitude. Unus Insula is my home away from Home where I’ve planted my flag of self-won victory over all the trials I have faced and conquered in my lifetime. I challenge you to examine whether or not this is the truth. It would be hard to know since I’ve stowed my winnings away on my island — inaccessible to all of the prayerful, charitable, and willing helpers who are always on the lookout to unburden a heavy-laden soul. Unus Insula is not only a tiny, unmapped locale — it is perpetually fogged in and barely penetrable by even the most focussed beam of Light. And it is lonely there. In fact, there are times I wonder how I found my way to it, and why I chose to make like a looter and flee in the first place. Do I truly believe a life of obscurity is what I’m called to? If so, who is it that calls me there? 

Psalm 89 is a proclamation of God’s covenant with David. Throughout its 52 verses, God promises to shield David by dropping him on an island alone where he will be safe from any potential enemies or threats. I hope you picked up on my sarcasm there. No — David was not called to a life of obscurity; he was called to a life of significance. The verses we are reflecting on today are the responses of God’s holy people to His covenant of fruitfulness in the lives of those who trust in Him. And the faithful psalmist goes on and on and ON about the fulfilment of God’s promises in his life. How GOD conquered his enemies; how GOD rules the waves; how GOD is his shield; how GOD is steadfast, faithful and firm. And by His firm, steadfast faithfulness, He calls me to a life of significance, just as He called David. 

What moves me, then, from obscurity to significance? Well, one of the synonyms for obscurity is namelessness. In this expression of the word, my question must rightfully move from “What?” to “Who?” WHO moves me from obscurity to significance? It is He who calls me by name (Isaiah 43:1). As my pride obscures my identity, returning to God what is rightfully His restores the significance of my life. What is most significant about my life is He who lives in me. He is the glory of my strength, if ever I can summon some up. In Him, there is no need to live a solitary, burdensome life. In God’s kingdom, Unus Insula (Island of One) does not exist. He enfolds into His care and then gives name to all of His children who know the festal shout, which is an acclamation in celebration of GOD’s victory. Lord Jesus: all glory, honour, and praise are Yours forever and ever! Amen.



Lori MacDonald

---