Sunday, October 12, 2008

"Going to the wall" for you: a reflection on today's Psalm

Psalm 23 is, rightfully so I think, a favorite of both believers and non-believers. Why?

Father Bob Lowrey, O.M.V., of Boston's Saint Francis Chapel, reflects on the Psalm from the perspective of his former parishioner Italy — a shepherd — and his own knowledge and reading.

"In ancient Palestine, shepherds led their sheep to pastures where they could graze. But with the advent of the summer heat, the grazing land would dry up. Then the shepherd would bring his flock to higher ground and look for new grazing lands. In order to arrive at this higher ground, the shepherd and the flock would sometimes pass through a canyon—the valley of darkness where wild animals would threaten the sheep. It was here in particular that the shepherd would have to `go to the wall for his sheep' and be ever vigilant for their protection."

Read this remarkable piece by going to the Saint Francis Chapel Bulletin area and downloading today's (2008-10-12) PDF file.

God bless you!