29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (16 October 2106)

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (16 October 2106)

1st Reading

And Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua: “Choose men. And when you go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.” 

Joshua did as Moses had spoken, and he fought against Amalek. But Moses and Aaron and Hur ascended to the top of the hill. And when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed. But when he released them a little while, Amalek overcame.

Then the hands of Moses became heavy. And so, taking a stone, they placed it beneath him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur sustained his hands from both sides. And it happened that his hands did not tire until the setting of the sun. 

And Joshua put to flight Amalek and his people by the edge of the sword. Exodus 17: 8-13

Lesson: We must be persistent in our prayers when we seek God's assistance.

Meditation: In fervent prayer, I lift my eyes up to the Lord who created the universe. I will not rest until he answers me. 

All Ye Who Seek a Comfort Sure

translated from the Latin by Edward Casswall

All you who seek a comfort sure 
In trouble and distress, 
Whatever sorrow burdens you, 
Whatever griefs oppress.

Jesus, who gave Himself for you 
Upon the Cross to die, 
Opens to you His Sacred Heart; 
Oh, to that Heart draw nigh. 

You hear how kindly He invites; 
You hear His words so blest: 
"All you who labour, come to Me, 
And I will give you rest." 

O Heart adored by saints on high, 
And hope of sinners here, 
We place our humble trust in You 
And lift to You our prayer. 

Jesus, who gave Himself for you 
Upon the Cross to die, 
Let there His Heart for love be pierced: 
Oh, to that Heart draw nigh!

Scriptural texts: Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor: The SacredBible, Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Edition.
Song retrieved from Godsongs.net.

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Here is Psalm 16 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 16

The LORD the Psalmist's Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.

Holy Saturday
Jesus intercedes for us to the Father²³ and speaks of His coming Resurrection²⁴.

1Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You.
2I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good besides You."
3As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
4The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied;
I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.

5The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

7I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
8I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Watch over me, O God, for I look to You for safety (16:1). I said to the Lord (the Father), "You are my Lord; there is no other good I desire (16:2)." As for the faithful who live among us, these holy ones are my delight (16:3). Those who worship false idols will suffer many sorrows; I will refuse their sacrifices and think of them no more (16:4). My inheritance is heaven; You are my salvation; My future is in Your safekeeping (16:5). I enjoy the blessings You have bestowed on me; my future is beautiful (16:6). I will praise the Lord (Father) who guided me; who instructs me even as I sleep (16:7). I will always focus on the Lord (Father); He is my strength, I will not fail (16:8). I am glad and rejoice in my glorious future (Resurrection); my body will not decay in the grave²⁵ (16:9). You will not abandon me to Hades; You will not allow the body of Your Holy One to know corruption (16:10). You will raise me from the dead and bring me into Your presence where I will bask in glory at Your right hand (16:11).

Prayer for Life: Watch over me, Lord, through this difficult time in my life. I know You bless those who worship You and I love You, Lord. I thank You for all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, especially my precious baby. I place myself and my baby in Your safekeeping, trusting in the wonderful future that You have planned for us. You strength fills me with hope. Stay with me, Lord, during this ordeal and for the rest of our lives until You see me and my little one safely in heaven. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

²³The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 690. Print.
²⁴Reardon, Patrick. Christ in the Psalms. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 2000. 30. Print. 

²⁵ The Orthodox Study Bible 690.

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

"I consider everything to be a loss, because of the preeminent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord."
Philippians 3:8

BLESSÈD SAVIOR, THEE I LOVE

by George Duffield, Jr.

Blessèd Savior, Thee I love,
All my other joys above;
All my hopes in Thee abide,
Thou my Hope, and naught betide;
Ever let my glory be,
Only, only, only Thee.

Once again beside the cross,
All my gain I count but loss;
Earthly pleasures fade away,
Clouds they are that hide my day;
Hence, vain shadows! let me see
Jesus, crucified for me.

Blessèd Savior, Thine am I,
Thine to live, and Thine to die;
Height or depth, or creature power,
Ne’er shall hide my Savior more;
Ever shall my glory be,
Only, only, only Thee.

Scriptural texts: Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor: The SacredBible, Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Edition.
Song retrieved from The Cyber Hymnal™ which lists over 11,000 Christian hymns with bios, midi files, and sheet music.

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Here is Psalm 15 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child." 

Psalm 15

Description of a Citizen of Zion.
Transfiguration: teaches us how to live once we have been transfigured like Christ on Mt Tabor²¹.

1O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
2He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
3He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4In whose eyes a reprobate is despised,
But who honors those who fear the LORD;
He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5He does not put out his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent
He who does these things will never be shaken.

Lord, how is the person supposed to live who has given his life to Jesus (15:1)? He does what is right and just and is holy (15:2). He strives to always do good and speak only good things (15:3). He avoids bad company, surrounds himself with those who revere the Lord, and keeps his word no matter how painful (15:4). He treats others fairly and loves his neighbor. Thus he will find peace in this world and in the next²².

Prayer for life: Sweet Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Savior and out of love for You I only want to do what is right and just. How can I reverence God yet reject this wonderful gift of life He has given me? No, I will have this child despite the difficulties, knowing that this decision will give me peace in this life and bring me to eternal glory in heaven. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

²¹The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 689. Print.
²²The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 689. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

"And I have appointed you, so that you may go forth and bear fruit, and so that your fruit may last." John 15:16

THE INNER CIRCLE

by Flora Kirkland

Have you heard the voice of Jesus
Whisper, I have chosen you?
Does He tell you in communion
What He wishes you to do?

As the first disciples followed,
As they went where’er He sent;
So today we, too, may follow,
On His leading still intent.

Or, if He shall choose to send us
On some errand in His name,
We can serve Him as disciples,
For our place is just the same.

Master, at Thy footstool kneeling,
We, Thy children, humbly wait;
Lead us, send us, bless us, use us,
Till we enter Heaven’s gate.

Are you in the inner circle?
Have you heard the Master’s call?
Have you giv’n your life to Jesus?
Is He now your all in all?

Scriptural texts: Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor: The SacredBible, Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Edition.
Song retrieved from The Cyber Hymnal™ which lists over 11,000 Christian hymns with bios, midi files, and sheet music.

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Here is Psalm 14 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 14

Folly and Wickedness of Men.
(wicked vs the righteous)
God lives in the world in His Church which is an extension of the body of Christ²⁰.

1The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God"
They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds;
There is no one who does good.
2The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men
To see if there are any who understand,
Who seek after God.
3They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt;
There is no one who does good, not even one.

4Do all the workers of wickedness not know,
Who eat up my people as they eat bread,
And do not call upon the Lord?
5There they are in great dread,
For God is with the righteous generation.
6You would put to shame the counsel of the afflicted,
But the LORD is his refuge.

7Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!
When the LORD restores His captive people,
Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

The wicked deny the existence of God and in their immorality they commit all kinds of sins (14:1). God searches the hearts of the ungodly (14:2) and finds that they are all wicked (14:3). They prey on the righteous and show Him no reverence (14:4). Yet, they will eventually come to greatly fear the Lord because He sides with the righteous (14:5). Evildoers will try to thwart the plans of the persecuted, but the Lord protects them (14:6). May the salvation of God's children (Israel) come from His Church (Zion) that is supported by the cornerstone of His Son who restored our relationship to the Father as children of God (14:7).

Prayer for Life: Dear Lord, I am surrounded by evil people who deny Your very existence. They have no fear of You as they counsel the destruction of my baby. Yet I know that You protect those in distress who call on You. You are my rock, the cornerstone rejected by the builders, who will sustain me through this difficult time in my life. I sow tears now, but I will reap rejoicing when my child is born. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John
²⁰The Psalms New International Version. St. Joseph CATHOLIC Edition. New Jersey: Catholic Book Publishing Corporation, 1996. 48. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

"For the Word of God is living and effective: more piercing than any two-edged sword." Hebrews 4:12

THE WORD OF GOD

by Haldor Lillenas

The Word of God is like a light
That shines serenely thro’ the night;
Its rays will light my weary way
To the realms of a fair, unending day.

The Word of God is like a sword
That pierces hearts, thus saith the Lord;
And like a hammer, weighty, strong,
That can break up the rocks of sin and wrong.

The Word of God is like the bread
On which the hosts of old were fed;
From Heav’n it came to fill our need,
Hungry hearts it will satisfy indeed.

The Word of God is like a fire,
It kindles in our hearts desire
To see its Author face to face
And to know all the fullness of His grace.

The Word of God is strong and sure,
Forevermore it shall endure,
When oceans cease to kiss the shore,
When suns shall set to rise no more;
’Mid crash of worlds it shall remain
Unshaken midst the starry rain,
Upon its firm foundation strong,
I will plant my feet thro’ the ages long.

Scriptural texts: Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor: The SacredBible, Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Edition.
Song retrieved from The Cyber Hymnal™ which lists over 11,000 Christian hymns with bios, midi files, and sheet music.

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Here is Psalm 13 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child."

Psalm 13 Prayer for Help in Trouble. Christ on the cross. 1How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, 4And my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. 5But I have trusted in Your loving kindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. Lord (God), why have You forsaken Me (Jesus) (13:1-2)? Answer Me, O Lord (God) lest evil overcome Me. Make Your presence known to Me at this hour of My death (13:3). Otherwise the wicked will rejoice in their victory (13:4). Yet, the devil will not prevail because I have trusted in the Lord's (God's) mercy (loving kindness). I will praise Him for the kindness (bounty) He has shown Me by restoring my life (salvation, i.e., resurrection) in His great mercy (13:5-6). Prayer for Life: Dear Lord, I feel so alone. I need to feel Your strength if I am to get through this pregnancy. Yet, I know that things will work out because I trust in You. In the end, I will praise You for saving my soul and my baby's life. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

Today I begin a new series on Christian music. At Mass, we seem to keep repeating the same songs, but there are thousands of Christian songs out there that many of us have never read or sung.

My plan is to begin with a quote from the Bible drawn from the Mass readings of that particular day. Then I will include a song that is relevant to that quote. 

Many thanks to The Cyber Hymnal™ which lists over 11,000 Christian hymns with bios, midi files, and sheet music, most in the public domain.

Remember: "He who sings, prays twice." (Saint Augustine) Let us lift our voice in praise of the Almighty as we read (or sing) these beautiful songs. Enjoy!

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"Let your mercy be upon us, O Lord, just as we have hoped in you." Psalm 33:22

LORD, THY MERCY NOW ENTREATING

by Mary Ann Sidebotham

Lord, Thy mercy now entreating,
Low before Thy throne we fall;
Our misdeeds to Thee confessing,
On Thy name we humbly call.

Sinful thought and words unloving,
Rise against us one by one;
Acts unworthy, deeds unthinking,
Good that we have left undone.

Hearts that far from Thee were straying,
While in prayer we bowed the knee;
Lips that, while Thy praises sounding,
Lifted not the soul to Thee.

Precious moments idly wasted,
Precious hours in folly spent;
Christian vow and fight unheeded;
Scarce a thought to wisdom lent.

Lord, Thy mercy still entreating,
We with shame our sin would own;
From henceforth, the time redeeming,
May we live to Thee alone.

Scriptural texts: Ronald L. Conte Jr., translator and editor: The SacredBible, Catholic Public Domain Version, Original Edition.
Song retrieved from The Cyber Hymnal™ which lists over 11,000 Christian hymns with bios, midi files, and sheet music.

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Here is Psalm 12 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child." 

Psalm 12  Prayer for deliverance from evil answered by Jesus who saves us through His Resurrection19. 1Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak. 3May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; 4Who have said, "With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?" 5"Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise," says the LORD; "I will set him in the safety for which he longs." 6The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times. 7You, O LORD, will keep them; You will preserve him from this generation forever. 8The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of men. Deliver me, Lord, from the ungodly and unfaithful (12:1). They lie and flatter each other (12:2). Lord, silence the flatterers and the boastful (12:3) who defy anyone to set limits on their speech (12:4). "I will rise up (resurrection)," says the Lord, "on behalf of the persecuted and the needy and provide the refuge they seek (12:5)." The Lord's Word is good as gold (12:6). He will do what He says and He will preserve His own from the wicked generation who are found everywhere that vile men are held in estime (12:6). Prayer for Life: Save me, O Lord, from this wicked generation who have no fear of You. They spread their lies. They boast of their great wisdom: "The baby you carry is not a real person. Do with it what you want. Nobody can tell you what to do with your body." Help me, Lord, to stand up to these lying unbelievers. You are truth itself and can not deceive or be deceived. Therefore, when You say that all life is sacred from conception to birth, I believe it. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

¹⁹The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 688. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

"He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds." Psalm 147:3 (NLT)

Meditation: Heal me, Lord, in body and soul, for I have sinned against you.

"He sends the snow like white wool." Psalm 147:16 (NLT)

Meditation: Lord, wash away my sins and make me whiter than snow.

"Let every created thing give praise to the LORD,
for he issued his command, and they came into being."
Psalm 148:5 (NLT)

Meditation: I bow down and worship before the Lord, my maker, who watches over me like a shepherd caring for his flock.

"Praise the LORD from the earth,
you creatures of the ocean depths,
fire and hail, snow and clouds,
wind and weather that obey him,
mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all livestock,
small scurrying animals and birds,
kings of the earth and all people,
rulers and judges of the earth,
young men and young women,
old men and children.
Let them all praise the name of the LORD.
For his name is very great;
his glory towers over the earth and heaven!" Psalm 148:7-13 (NLT)

Meditation: Why does all creation stir to praise you, Lord? "They long to be, just like me, close to you." (Karen Carpenter)

"For the LORD delights in his people;
he crowns the humble with victory." Psalm 149:4 (NLT)

Meditation: The Lord delights in me because I seek to do his will.

"Let the praises of God be in their mouths,
and a sharp sword in their hands." Psalm 149:6 (NLT)

Meditation: In the Old Testament, enemies were subdued violently. In the New Testament, Jesus preached a gospel of love: we restrain evil by loving those who hate us. 

"Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!
Praise the LORD!" Psalm 150:6 (NLT)

Meditation: I praise the Lord by loving all his creatures, saints and sinners alike.

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This concludes my series of commentary on the psalms. In the next blog, I will begin a series on Christian music. Stay tuned!

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Here is Psalm 11 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child." 

Psalm 11 Holy Week The LORD a Refuge and Defense. 1In the LORD I take refuge; How can you say to my soul, "Flee as a bird to your mountain; 2For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart. 3If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" 4The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. 5The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates. 6Upon the wicked He will rain snares; Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup. 7For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face. This psalm details why we should trust in the Lord Jesus Christ18, our rock and our Savior. It is also the prayer of Jesus who was treated unjustly, yet had the courage to endure suffering until the bitter end. Trusting in the Lord gives us courage to deal with situations from which we can not escape (11:1). It helps us to defeat the devil and his minions (11:2) when they threaten society with collapse. So what is a good person to do (11:3)? He trusts in the Lord who sees all, who dwells in His immovable Church on earth and rules from His unshakable throne in the kingdom of heaven (11:4). We embrace virtue because the Lord can read the hearts of men, both good and bad, and He rejects those who do evil (11:5). He will cast into hell the wicked (11:6), but since He is a just judge, His face will shine upon those who do what is good (11:7). Prayer for life: Dear Lord, I feel trapped and insecure. The life I knew has changed dramatically because of my pregnancy. Still, I will trust in You, for You are my rock. I will have this baby, for You will always be at my side to support me. May Your face shine upon me and my child all the days of our lives. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

¹⁸The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 687. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.

"The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation." 
Psalm 145:9 (NLT)

Meditation: Then why, Lord, is there so much suffering and death since the fall of Adam and Eve? You knew we would turn against you when you created us. Is it to teach us detachment? Was the death of a loved one the ultimate solution to breaking our fascination with the shadow world and its illusion? Is that what Christ was referring to when he said, "for it is in dying that we are born to eternal life"? 

We know that Jesus was talking about dying to the self, but was he not also talking about the shock of death being necessary to shake us to the core of our being to bring about a new realization: that we are much more than mere creatures living in a world that promises happiness but delivers pain? Was it not necessary that the chains of darkness be broken so that we could see the light?

So even in death, Lord, you show us your great love and compassion. Your kindness, mercy and unfailing love could not leave us to our own devices. And that's why you sent Jesus: it was his death and resurrection that ripped apart the Temple curtain, the veil that blinded us to you and the joy of being with you forever. Thank you, Father, and thank you, Jesus, for loving us so much!


"The LORD helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads." Psalm 145:14 (NLT)

Meditation: "John, I will never give you more burdens than you can handle," says the Lord.

"The LORD frees the prisoners." Psalm 146:7 (NLT)

Meditation: Thank you, Father, for freeing me from the chains that bind me: evil, frustration, sadness, fear, anxiety, and illness.

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Here is Psalm 10 from my book, "Praying the Psalms for the Unborn Child." 

Psalm 10
Last Judgment
Agony in the Garden

1Why do You stand afar off, O LORD?
Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?
2In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

3For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire,
And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.
4The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him.
All his thoughts are, "There is no God."

5His ways prosper at all times;
Your judgments are on high, out of his sight;
As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.
6He says to himself, "I will not be moved;
Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity."
7His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness.
8He sits in the lurking places of the villages;
In the hiding places he kills the innocent;
His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate.
9He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair;
He lurks to catch the afflicted;
He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net.
10He crouches, he bows down,
And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.
11He says to himself, "God has forgotten;
He has hidden His face; He will never see it."

12Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up Your hand
Do not forget the afflicted.
13Why has the wicked spurned God?
He has said to himself, "You will not require it."
14You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it into Your hand.
The unfortunate commits himself to You;
You have been the helper of the orphan.
15Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer,
Seek out his wickedness until You find none.

16The LORD is King forever and ever;
Nations have perished from His land.
17O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble;
You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear
18To vindicate the orphan and the oppressed,
So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.

This psalm, like the previous psalm, is about the last judgment¹⁷. This is also the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as He prays for justice.

O Lord, why are You so hard to find when we are in trouble? (10:1) The arrogant and wicked person persecutes the poor; let the wicked one be caught in his own trap (10:2). The wicked one takes pride in his evil intentions, extols greed and rejects God (10:3). The wicked one arrogantly ignores God (10:4). He is successful and does not fear the Lord's judgment; he mocks his enemies (10:5). His sinful behavior does not concern him since he believes he will always be successful no matter what he does (10:6).

He curses, lies and bullies; he causes trouble and spreads evil (10:7). He hides in the shadows where he can kill the innocent undetected; he secretly plots against the defenseless (10:8). Like a lion in his den, he waits to pounce on his poor unsuspecting victim and subdue him (10:9). Feigning weakness, he defeats the defenseless with his strength (10:10). He says to himself that God pays him no attention; God will never see his evil deeds (10:11).

Rise, O Lord, and strike the wicked; do not forget those who suffer (10:12). The wicked despise God. He tells himself that God will not hold him accountable for his actions (10:13). But You have seen his evil deeds and those who have been wronged look to You for justice, for You are the helper of the defenseless (10:14). Strike down the evil and sinful man and destroy his wickedness (10:15). The Lord is King forever; no nation can stand against Him 10:16).

Lord, You have heard the desires of the afflicted; You will lift their spirits; You will hear their supplications (10:17). You will favorably judge the defenseless and the oppressed, but those who do evil will be condemned and will never harm anyone again (10:18).

Prayer for life: Dear Jesus, You hear the cries of the poor defenseless aborted children who plead for justice. You see the wicked's disregard for Your laws and how they murder the innocent. You will destroy them and banish them from Your kingdom. But I, Lord, reject evil and count myself among those who love You and seek to do the Father's will. Help me, Lord, to welcome my child into the world with open arms as You will one day hopefully welcome me into Your kingdom. Amen.

Have a blessed day!
John

¹⁷The Orthodox Study Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008. 687. Print.

Scripture (Psalms 1-21) taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Copyright © 2010 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and for the glory of God.