Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought. (Psalm 105:5)
Whether it’s forgotten birthdays, straying pens,
or faces we can’t place, it’s annoying to lose track of the little
things. Forgetfulness becomes downright tragic, though, if we lose sight
of the big picture—what life is all about. This is why today’s psalm
urges us to remember and praise God for his wondrous deeds.
This is perfect encouragement as we prepare to celebrate the most
wonderful deeds ever this Holy Week. So how can we fight forgetfulness
and take on the kind of remembering that leads to gratitude, joy, and
transformation? By taking God’s wondrous deeds personally.
Handing down their stories from one generation to the next, the
people of Israel have been recounting how God made them a people for
thousands of years. Especially in recounting the pivotal story of their
deliverance from slavery, the retelling took the form of a “You Are
There” Passover meal. Observing biblical and traditional customs, they
recall their liberation in a way that makes it personal and present:
“This is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt”
(Exodus 13:8).
In Christ, we can say the same. Israel’s wondrous deeds have become
part of our history as well, and they are fulfilled in Jesus’ death and
resurrection. As Catholics, we believe that every Eucharist recalls
these saving acts and makes them present to us. We are there in the
upper room with Jesus!
This Holy Week and Easter, take the story personally. Place yourself
at the Last Supper. In your imagination, observe the Passover meal;
Jesus provided a way for you to remember and receive him. He did this
for me. Watch with Jesus in the garden, where he suffers so intensely as
he awaits his betrayer. He did this for me. See him dragged before the
high priest, Herod, Pilate, the jeering crowd. He did this for me. Walk
to Calvary, stand at the cross, mourn with Mary.
Recall and relive these wondrous deeds that God has wrought. Let this
one truth sink into your heart: he did this for me. This is how much he
loves me.
“Jesus, I am in awe at your love for me and your commitment to me!”
from wau.org
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