Psalm of the Day
Prayer is the daily sustenance of the soul like water and food is
to the body. However, we may be pressed for time or not know how to
do personal prayer. The Psalm of the Day provides an easy way to
meditate.
The Psalms are listed according to the weeks of the liturgical year.
Each Sunday and week is ascribed: there are church seasons, such as
the First Sunday and Week of Advent or the Fifth Sunday and Week of
Easter; others are in Ordinary Time, such as the Fourth Sunday and
Week. Look on the outline
for the appropriate week of the church year and you will find six
numbers. Those six numbers identify the psalm of the daily Mass for
Monday through Saturday of the week. For example:
Odd-Number Year week 25 are Monday=Ps 126, Tuesday=Ps 122,
Wednesday=Ps 126, Thursday=Ps 149, Friday=Ps 43 and Saturday=Ps 127.
The Psalms of the Day [Seasons] has the psalms for Sunday
through Saturday in the very same format.
Here is a suggested format for use of the psalms: Give yourself a
minute [yes, 60 seconds] to take some deep breathes and slow down
from your active world. Then in a meditative pace pray the psalm
[from your Bible]. Rest in that psalm; perhaps a word or phrase
stays with you. Conclude with a Glory be to the Father.... In five
minutes you have entered a holy space for the rest of the soul
before entering again into the world of disciple action.
This suggested prayer is (1) simple, (2) connected to the Church's
daily liturgy, (3) introduces us to one of the major books of prayer
available (the Psalms), (4) teach us the many human emotions
expressed to the Lord as well as our understanding of the gracious
sovereignty of God.
