Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Congratulations with the feasts of the Resurrection of the Lord and the icon of the Mother of God ‘The Joy of All Who Sorrow.’

Last week we briefly discussed the first biblical text that is used at the Liturgy, psalm 102 (103). Today let’s talk about the next psalm that is sung at the Sunday church service. Usually this is the 145 (146) psalm.

The 145th (146) psalm is the first in a series of the last five psalms. They are all closely tied to each other and were probably written after the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity to the Promised Land. All of these psalms are very joyful and beautiful. In them the author praises God for His great mercy, for the fact that He returned the Jews to their own land. Having witnessed such a wondrous deed, how could one not be filled with joy, how could one not praise God?!

In our 145th (146) psalm, the author sings that he will praise God throughout his whole life. He continues that there is no need to trust in the help of men, for none of us is eternal, all of us will die, and with us even our thoughts will disappear. Therefore, blessed (that is, happy) is he who has firm faith in the help of God. Finally, the author of this psalm lists ways in which the Lord shows His mercy to those who have Him as a helper.

St. John Chrysostom teaches that to praise God, one needs to do this with deeds and not simply with words. Our Lord says that, “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18: 20). If we put together these two ideas, we will come to one more understanding about what the Divine Liturgy is, that is: the Divine Liturgy is the common deed of praising God, where the Saviour Himself is present and where we strive to join ourselves to Him. (The Greek word liturgia means ‘common work’).

The 145th (146) psalm, like the 102nd (103), wonderfully attunes us to correctly spending our time in church on Sunday morning. Let us, having entered the church and having heard the words of this psalm, remember that we are also called to praise God with deeds all the days of our life. Therefore, let’s attend and participate in the Divine Liturgy weekly so as to receive real and dependable help, that is, not help from men, but from God and, in such a way, to be blessed here on earth as well as in the future life.

priest Alexis