Psalm 103
R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
As I continue September’s Psalm Studies, this Sunday’s Psalm, Psalm 103, begs the question: How can we, who have nothing, bless the God who has and knows everything?
Here, David is not implying that a greater person (man) should bestow a blessing on a lesser person (God). Since God is infinitely greater than man, man could never give a blessing to God. What David means is that it blesses and honors God when we praise Him and thank Him appropriately.
My gratitude abounds for the God who is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. Love like His is simply unbelievable as he pardons our sins out of sheer kindness for us, healing us without counting the cost. My own human limitations often make this so hard to comprehend. With this Psalm, I feel the urge to just sit and marvel at His goodness and His compassion. How often do I stop to do this? To ask for nothing and to simply praise Him?
Since the word Eucharistia is the original Greek word for “gratitude,” it is no accident that this Psalm immediately reminded me of my favorite Eucharistic Prayer in our liturgy, the Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation I. I think it’s important to take a look at this prayer in our liturgy and recall with thanksgiving the mystery of God’s love for us. At the heart of this Eucharistic prayer, we see His steadfast love and mercy reconciling us to Himself. And, through His death and resurrection, He brings the fullness of joy which is the essence of all praise.
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The Eucharistic Prayer for Masses of Reconciliation I:
It is truly right and just that we should always give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For you do not cease to spur on us to possess a more abundant life and, being rich in mercy, you constantly offer pardon and call on sinners to trust your forgiveness alone.
Never did you turn away from us, and though time and time again we have broken your covenant, you have bound the human family to yourself through Jesus your son, our Redeemer, with a new bond of love so tight that it can never be undone.
Even now you set before your people a time of grace and reconciliation, and, as they turn back to you in spirit, you grant them hope in Christ Jesus and a desire to be of service to all, while they entrust themselves more fully to the Holy Spirit.
And so, filled with wonder, we extol the power of your love, and, proclaiming our joy at the salvation that comes from you, we join in the heavenly hymn of countless hosts, as without end we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and from the world’s beginning are ceaselessly at work, so that the human race may become holy, just as you yourself are holy. Look, we pray, upon your people’s offerings and pour out on them the power of your Spirit, that they may become the Body + and Blood of your beloved Son, Jesus the Christ, in whom we, too, are your sons and daughters.
Indeed, though we were once lost and could not approach you, you loved us with the greatest love: for your Son, who alone is just, handed himself over to death, and did not disdain to be nailed for our sake to the wood of the Cross.
But before his arms were outstretched between heaven and earth, to become the lasting sign of your covenant, he desired to celebrate the Passover with his disciples.
As he ate with them, he took bread, and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to them, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it; for this is my Body which will be given up for you.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, knowing that he was about to reconcile al things in himself through His Blood to be shed on the Cross, he took the chalice, filled it with the fruit of the vine, and once more giving you thanks, handed the chalice to the disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; for this is the Chalice of my Blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
Therefore, as we celebrate the memorial of your Son Jesus Christ, who is our Passover and our surest peace, we celebrate his Death and Resurrection from the dead, and looking forward to his blessed Coming, we offer you, who are our faithful and merciful God, this sacrificial Victim who reconciles to you the human race.
Look kindly, most compassionate Father, on those you unite to yourself by the Sacrifice of your Son, and grant that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as they partake of this one Bread and one Chalice, they may be gathered into one Body in Christ, who heals every division.
Be pleased to keep us always in communion of mind and heart, together with Francis our Pope and Douglas our Bishop. Help us to work together for the coming of your Kingdom, until the hour when we stand before you, Saints among the Saints in the halls of heaven, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, the blessed Apostles and all the Saints, and with our deceased brothers and sisters, whom we humbly commend to your mercy. Then, freed at last from the wound of corruption and made fully into a new creation, we shall sing to you with gladness the thanksgiving of Christ, who lives for all eternity.
Through him, and with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
Amen.
