3rd Week in Ordinary Time : Monday 27th January 2020

Psalm 89, one of the longer psalms, celebrates God’s faithfulness, which one of the earlier verses describes as a “marvel”, a miracle. Throughout the Psalm, the word “love” is paralleled. With “faithfulness” thus teaching us the deeper meaning of the teaching which the Psalmist wishes to put before us.

The Psalmist wants us to look beyond the historical reality to a future greater servant of God, Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God and son of Mary. He will be the Anointed One par excellence, for he will be anointed, not at the hands of the elders of a tribe but by the Holy Spirit.

While the hand of God was with David, it would be even more true that God was with Jesus, the Messiah. God was with David, and yet David was not always faithful: he sinned and displeased God. Jesus, on the other hand, was perfectly sinless, and obedient in all things even to death on the cross.

We are no longer ruled over by David: our King is Jesus, the true inheritor of all the promises which God made to Israel and David.

Father in Heaven, as You are faithful and loving in all You do for us, teach us through the anointing, we have received at baptism to be loyal followers of Jesus Your Son.