I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be in my mouth.
2 I[b] praise the Lord—
let the suffering listen and rejoice.
3 Magnify the Lord with me!
Together let us lift his name up high!
4 I sought the Lord and he answered me.
He delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to God will shine;
their faces are never ashamed.
6 This suffering person cried out:
the Lord listened and saved him from every trouble.
7 On every side, the Lord’s messenger protects those who honor God; and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see how good the Lord is!
The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy!
Reflection
During these past three school years, I worked part-time for a Catholic school in South Jersey. One particular day, I was working with a student who was having a hard time. As I pondered what else I needed to do to restore a difficult situation, I frowned. Whatever I was doing just didn’t seem to be working. Furthermore, clearly both the student and I were having a bad day, together and separately. Now I can’t say exactly what I did to help the situation, because I really don’t remember that it was anything all that special. Soon the student returned to class and I returned to my office lost in my frustrations.
Feeling a little melancholy, it seemed to me that my mood had soured. I definitely was not feeling the love of God. I was not feeling the joy of service for God’s calling in my life. I was not feeling the joy that communion returns us to, or that our Lord is the Bread of Life. The situation had left me in a bit of a funk, but moreover, it was my thinking about that event that I had let erode my sense of joy.
Then I heard a familiar tune on the organ, calling worshippers to church. It was a Catholic communion hymn that had startled me, bringing me back to a realization of joy:
“Taste and see, …TA-A-Aste AND See-E … the goodness of the Lord….”
Then I thought: Wait a minute…. I am supposed to feel joy because of the gift of God’s grace –a celebration that is found through God’s nourishment of my soul! I was reminded by verse 5, “Those who look to God will shine; their faces are never ashamed.” This was the realization that I was returned to with just a few bars of music.
I was reminded that belief in our Lord and Savior is supposed to be joyous. This is not to say that we won’t have our moments of funk or waning faith. We all have our bad days, as well as our trials and travails. My suggestion of “remembering joy” does not mean that we gloss over times of hurt, or trialize these. Neither does our God trivialize our hurts.
I am only suggesting that sometimes we may need to remind ourselves to find joy in all circumstances and however we can. In our troubled and fractured spaces, perhaps it is easy to forget that God’s love is meant to feel good! It is meant to be joyous. God’s love is meant to nourish us, so that we will be “faith-filled.” The love of Our Lord is so pleasing, as if it is to be the tastiest, dreamiest food possible. “So taste and see how good the Lord is! The one who takes refuge in him is truly happy.” (v8)
by Barbara Carlson
For Pondering and Prayer
Think of a time in which you were reminded to return to joy. What event(s) reminded you that God’s love is meant to make you happy? Is there something in particular: a song, a scripture or saying that always returns you to the ideas that God’s love is meant to feel good?
Prayer: Gracious God, Thank you for your loving presence. Thank you for the small and big reminders to be joyful in all circumstances. Thank you for the reminder that you are the Bread of Life and only you can nourish our soul. May I always be mindful of the sweetness your love brings. Amen.