10th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) : Wednesday 12th June 2024

At the outset of his prayer, the psalmist looks on God as someone Who can “preserve’’ him, someone in Whom he can take “refuge”. So, he confidently proclaims to the Lord – “You are my God’’.

He wisely discerns that “those who choose other gods increase their sorrows’’ and pledges that he will “never … offer them offerings of blood”, he will never worship other gods.

The psalmist, evocating the priestly prayer, declares the Lord as his “portion … cup … prize’’.  A priest from the tribe of Levi has no inheritance of land but as stated by God to Aaron (the first Levitical priest), “I shall be your portion and your heritage” (Num 18:20), i.e. God is his inheritance!  The “cup” that the psalmist speaks about may be symbolic of the abundance of God’s blessings.  And the “prize” reminds us of what St Paul said about counting “everything else as loss … if only I can gain Christ’’ (Phil 3:8).

The psalmist understands the importance of always keeping the Lord “ever in my sight’’, since the Lord “is at my right hand”, he can confidently navigate through life with the Lord’s support and protection.

Finally, the one who keeps the commandments (Mt 5:19) is assured of the kingdom of Heaven. God leads him in “the path of life”, granting him the “fullness of joy” in His presence” and “happiness forever”.

Lord, You are God who completes us. We follow You!