Seek His Refuge

A Reflection on the Psalm for June 26th, 2022:
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Psalm 16

R. You are my chosen portion, O Lord.

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

R. You are my chosen portion, O Lord.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

R. You are my chosen portion, O Lord.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

R. You are my chosen portion, O Lord.

You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

R. You are my chosen portion, O Lord.

A refuge. A place to shelter. A place of comfort and safety. But also a place where I am filled with every good thing – counsel, rest, and every physical provision. A place to soak in that peace without any need to do, only to be.

Once you’ve experienced this refuge, nothing else compares. You seek it in times of trouble and in times of triumph. As a parent of lots of kids, sometimes it can be challenging to seek out that place. 

Not that we don’t try to find substitutes – things that numb us, distract us, and soothe us. For some of us, perhaps it’s that glass of wine. Or perhaps binge watching a show. Maybe it’s scrolling through an endless stream of videos online. Anything for the endorphins or to stop our brains from focusing on the real thing. None of those things are objectively bad, but when we choose them as a refuge instead of God, we’re denying ourselves peace and instead seeking a mental opiate.

If those are ways to seek distraction, how then do we seek the Lord? That answer is unique for every person, but there are ways shown to us by the Saints that are a good guide. The simplest way is to spend time in the Scriptures. God can give us wisdom, comfort, and encouragement through the Word. Prayer, either through reflection on the Scriptures, using traditional devotions, or through conversational prayer, can be a daily point of connection with the Lord. Mass and Adoration, where we can worship, adore, and honour God, can bring us into deeper relationship with the Lord and keep us mindful of the depth of His love for us. And you might have other ways such as music, care for others, or experiencing His creation. Anything that brings you into the presence of the Lord is a place to encounter His loving refuge.

In seeking the Lord, we invite Him into our lives. We invite Him to transform our heart, our desire, and our very being. In His presence, we can experience a true and lasting refuge. If we but keep our eyes on the Lord, we can experience fullness of joy in His presence.




Stephanie Potter

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