by Fr. David Huemmer, SJRCC Chaplain & Spiritual Director
The book of Psalms has several “collections” of psalms. During Holy week, we explored the “Hallel” psalms which recounted the journey from slavery to freedom; from sin to salvation.
During the Easter Season, it might be fun to pray with the Psalms of Ascent. These psalms, 120 -134, make up those psalms in which those who were on pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the three required times: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The highlight of this pilgrimage was to arrive at the Temple and to receive the blessing! We too are on a pilgrimage through life journeying to the Heavenly Jerusalem where Jesus ascended and reigns at the right hand of the Father. It is our goal; that for which we are made; to live gloriously in the Kingdom!
The psalms have always been the prayer book of the pilgrim people. They give us “tunes” for worship! That is why they are an important part of the Liturgy of the Church – the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the other Sacraments. The Psalms of Ascent then become our song; the song of a pilgrim people on earth on their way to the Kingdom!
As we pray one of these psalms each day over the next couple of weeks, utilize the “praying with the scriptures’ blog post on our website to help you enter into the psalm better. Then use the Meditation help each day to give some background into the psalm. May they help us as we journey to the Kingdom where our Lord lives and reigns forever and ever, amen!