Every week, we reflect on the Bible texts of a given Sunday, or Feast Day.
Most times, we focus on the words of one of the readings.
Today, one verse of the Psalm, used as a response to the 1st reading, has caught my attention(Psalm 40:1-2,4,7-11).
“The Lord has stooped to me and he heard my cry for help.”
Another translation says: “He inclined unto me and he heard my cry.”
This is an amazing statement from the Psalmist.
God has stooped, he has inclined, he has bent down, he has come low, to reach him!
It is amazing, yes, but it is exactly what we have lived these past weeks!
We have been celebrating the feast of Christmas – God becoming one of us, a human being like us.
This is how far down, how much bending and stooping God has done!
When the word ‘GOD’ is heard, people usually think of:
- power and glory,
- magnificence and transcendence,
- eminence and splendor.
But God thinks of… a baby in a manger!
A poor, helpless, dependent child – this is God!
Strangely, sadly… we often look for another one…
The text of the Psalm goes on with the words:
“Happy the one who trusts in the Lord.”
Yes, the Lord of whom the Psalmist tells us about, the One who stoops and bends down –
he is the one who can give us the happiness we long for.
The happiness we have been wishing one another for this new year, he is ready to give it to us…
If only we dare to turn to him…
Note: Another text is available on a different theme, in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/2e-dimanche-de-lannee-a-2023/