Announcing God’s salvation, day after day.
Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10. January 26, 2023 - Thursday
Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops
Psalm 96 accompanies us on the memorial of the day of Saints Timothy and Titus, the two well-known companions of Saint Paul in proclaiming the Gospel. The psalm invites us to announce God’s salvation, “day after day”. How can we do that?
In the Ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament known as the Septuagint, Psalm 96 is introduced with the following superscription: “When the house was being rebuilt after the captivity”. In the year 586 BC, the Babylonians destroyed the temple in Jerusalem and took many Jews into captivity. Then, in the year 538 BC, the Persian ruler, Cyrus allowed them to return and rebuild the temple. The rebuilding of the temple was completed in 516 BC. The book of Ezra tells us that when the builders were laying the foundation for the new temple, some people were shouting with joy praising God and others were crying remembering the old temple (see Ezra 3:10-13).
For the ancient Jews, the temple was the centre of the world. The Lord reigned from the temple and the awe-inspiring liturgy conducted by the priests and Levites in the temple glorified and praised His holy name. We have a glimpse into the beauty of that liturgy in the book of Sirach (see Sirach 50:1-21). The reign of God over the entire world and all nations was celebrated, proclaimed, and enacted in the liturgy of the temple.
The last statement is important for us Christians. The body of Jesus Christ was the living temple of God on earth and each one of us is the dwelling place of God’s Spirit. We also know that the entire Church is the temple of God built of living stones - Christ’s believers. This new temple fills the entire universe. It embraces Christ as the Head of the Body and all its members, those in heaven and those on earth. In our Catholic theology, we talk about the pilgrim Church on earth, the expectant Church in Purgatory, and the triumphant Church in heaven.
When we celebrate our liturgy, the entire Church is present. The constitution on Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II declares that through the liturgy of the Church “the work of our redemption is accomplished”. This statement refers in particular to the Eucharist. Then, the constitution adds that through the liturgy we “may express in [our] lives, and manifest to others, the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church” (see SC, 2). And Saint John Paul II called the Eucharist “heaven on earth”. Celebrating the Eucharist here on earth, we mysteriously participate in the heavenly liturgy.
The psalm invites us to announce God’s salvation, “day after day” and it explains to us that this proclamation happens most profoundly in the liturgy of the Church. We proclaim God’s salvation by praying daily Divine Office and celebrating the Eucharist.