THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

22ND SEPTEMBER 2022

REFLECTION

One morning the young new bank president made an appointment with his predecessor to seek some wise advice. He began, “Sir, as you well know, I lack a great deal of the qualifications you already have for this job. You have been very successful as president of this bank, and I wondered if you would be kind enough to share with me some of the insights you have gained from your years here that have been the keys to your success.” The older man replied, “Young man, two words: good decisions.” The young man responded, thank you very much, sir, but how does one come to know which is the good decision?” “One-word, young man: experience.” “But how does one get experience?” “Two words, young man: bad decisions.”

Our today’s Responsorial Psalm is probably the oldest Psalm in the Bible, and was composed by Moses during the 40 years wandering of the children of Israel in the wilderness. Certainly Moses, knew about bad decisions. He had made his share of them during his 40 years in the palace, his 40 years as a shepherd in the desert, and now in his 40 years of leading Israel in the wilderness. Perhaps that’s why he was so conscious of the need for wisdom. There is so much spiritual profit in meditating this, Psalm but, at the moment, fix your attention on v.1. perhaps we can learn from him.

As he contemplates life, Moses begins with A PROFESSION OF FAITH. “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” He’s celebrating God’s sovereignty. As he wrote this profession, Moses was in the wilderness; not in the halls of Pharaoh; no longer in the comfort of the safe, routine life of a shepherd, but in a wilderness. He was leading the tribes of Israel as they were taking up their tents and marching along, with no settled dwelling place. So, he lifted his eyes above and said, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” Recalling their history, he saw that GOD HAD ALWAYS BEEN HOME TO ISRAEL, generation after generation. He alone had been their house, their place of comfort and security. That’s where Moses begins.Throughout the centuries philosophers and others have looked at life and tried to draw conclusions about God. Moses looked at God and drew conclusions about life. The Apostle Paul professed the same faith (Col. 1:15-18; 3:3), As we contemplate life, this is the profession of faith with which we must begin. We begin with God in Jesus Christ and draw conclusions about life.