Locked Away

A Reflection on the Psalm for September 29th, 2019:
​Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm 146

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is the Lord who keeps faith forever, who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free. R.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind and lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous and watches over the strangers. R.

The Lord upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. R.

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“The Lord sets the prisoners free.”


Although there are many ways that this psalm proclaims the goodness of God, this line really stood out to me.

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Typically, when we think about what it means to be a prisoner, there is a particular connotation behind that word. Prisoners are usually punished for crimes they have committed, laws they have broken, and fundamentally: sinning. But, I would argue that this is not always the case nor is it the criteria that makes up what it means to be a “prisoner”. Not all prisoners have committed a grave offence. In fact, I think that a lot of us are prisoners in some way at some point in our lives.


It is possible to be a prisoner to fear or anxiety, to stepping outside of our comfort zones, to addiction, to remaining in our complacency... really anything that can inhibit us from living in the fullness of God’s love and grace. Sometimes we willingly lock ourselves away and allow our lives to be determined by these fears. I know I have most certainly been in this position. But more importantly, I know that the Lord longs to set us free, and He will if we only let Him.

"I know that the Lord longs to set us free, and He will, if we only let Him."

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For several years of my life, I was imprisoned by my anxiety. I let my fears keep me from fully experiencing the important relationships in my life; my relationships with family and friends, but mostly my relationship with God. I locked myself away in a sense, believing that I was the only one who could help myself as I strived to achieve my perfectionistic goals. I was extremely isolated. I fall back into these unhealthy behaviours when I let them overpower my thoughts from time to time. It can be comfortable to remain in our prison. Sometimes we even like them. Change is uncomfortable and scary. It isn’t easy. It takes work. This burden can freeze us and entice us to remain in our isolation, for fear that breaking free from these things will somehow make the situation worse. 


This psalm was written before Jesus’ time and with expectant faith of His salvation. Although it can be hard to let go of what may imprison us, having expectant faith that the Lord will pull us out of what shackles us can only do good in our lives. I pray that I may remember this always, especially in the times that I start to isolate myself. I pray that I can have faith that all is possible through Jesus. Amen. ​​


​Megan Noye

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