Love Life

A Reflection on the Psalm for September 22nd, 2019:
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm 113

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the needy.

Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time on and forevermore. 

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the needy.

The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? 

R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the needy.

The Lord raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. 

​R. Praise the Lord who lifts up the needy.

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Take a moment and acknowledge Him. His presence within and all around. Breathe Him in, feel Him move, delight in His life. All that He is emits life... moves forth life. As I ponder the absolute precision necessary for this earth to exist with all its varied life forms, I am awestruck at the delicate and intricate detail required for such a brilliant composition. It all holds together in perfect tension. It subsists through the complementarity of giving and receiving—the true balance that exists only in God’s creation. Because God is life. And God loves into life.

When I think about the miracle that occurs each and every time someone shows unexpected, radical love for another person, I am astonished by the way in which God loves from within us to renew life in others.


How can I become more life-giving—lifted up by Him and poured out into others?


Psalm 113 tells me I must acknowledge my neediness. Like this earth, I am delicate in my own existence. Had history taken a slight turn off the trajectory of my coming into being, I never would have turned up here. If moments in my life had moved slightly off the trajectory that led me to the now, I would not be now pondering His greatness.


How can I become more aware each day of just how needy I am, Lord?


The needy are those who are depleted of the stuff of life which is meant to sustain them. As I praise Him, I acknowledge my need. Praise is a depletion of our selves in honour of the One who is All in all. As I praise and honour Him, I hollow out a space for Him to inhabit within me.

"As I praise and honour Him, I hollow out a space for Him to inhabit within me."

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There is a cupboard in my house that is largely ignored. Every so often, I open it to find it filled with dust. As I take out the items of value within it, they look dull and worthless. But with very little effort, they can be wiped clean, and their exterior becomes shiny and bright, and can once again reflect the sun. So it is with the practice of prayer and praise. As I open the caverns of dust that lie dead within me and allow the Lord to occupy them, they can be reformed and restored to the glory He intended for them. 

I need Him so that I may experience the fullness of life—the wholeness of being. When I take the time to praise Him, all of my consciousness is consumed by Him, and only peace, love, and joy remain. And in these glorious moments, “The Creator gets to define His creation” (Overcomer movie). Let us open our hearts to Him in praise and let Him love us back into life.
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​Lori MacDonald

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