Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

Today's Mass Readings

Preface: This week, I reflect on the Responsorial Psalm, “which is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and holds great liturgical and pastoral importance, because it fosters meditation on the word of God.” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 61)

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
From Psalm 24:6

A ceremonial psalm, Psalm 24 may have accompanied a procession of the Ark into the Temple. The people may have followed the Ark, which stood for the presence of God. To see the face of God is to be in His presence. His presence brings blessing, merciful love, faithfulness, glory.

Psalm 24 begins by declaring the LORD’s possession of all that he created. Then, the Psalm asks who is worthy to go up the mountain and see the Face? Those with clean hands and pure hearts can go up. Those who are not devoted to idols, but rather are single-hearted toward the LORD. Those who are not deceitful—these are some of the Ten Commandments, are they not? Those who observe these may see, may go up and receive blessings.

But…who is worthy? Don’t we all fall short? Are we not all sinners? We need a savior. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

To see his face, to long for heaven, this is, in fact, a tool in the workshop of monks: “To yearn for eternal life with all the longing of our soul.” (Rule of St. Benedict 4.46, tr. Basil Bolton, 1969) The very next tool listed is, “To keep the possibility of death every day before our eyes.” Not to be morbid, but it is valuable to remember that, one day, we are going to die. But don’t feel depressed. Hope for life after death, which has promised to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, what can we do to prepare to go up, to see the face of God? What can we do to be clean and pure, and so be worthy to enter heaven? We can be washed, so to speak, in the blood of Jesus by accepting the free gift of salvation. Jesus’ blood was shed on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Let us be washed of our sins by admitting our trespasses and so be reconciled to one another and to the Father.

Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB