Category Archives: Rites

In considering care for people who are dying, the twenty-third Psalm may offer one of the best options. This would surely be true for private prayer–it might be one of the most memorized* passages in all of the Bible. Neil’s … Continue reading →

One of the psalms suggested for prayer at the time of death is the 121st. I find it an underappreciated text. It only appears once in the Lectionary for Sundays and Feasts–the 29th in year C. I found it interesting … Continue reading →

The pastoral care rites designate this reading for people who are dying. It is also one of those most frequently selected for the funeral rites. One need go no further than the first verse to know why. People search for … Continue reading →

In the Bible, longing for God is a frequent theme. In the Christian era, many saints and other figures are known for the same feeling. From his Confessions, consider Saint Augustine’s oft-quoted  “You have made us for yourself, and our … Continue reading →

I have to admit upfront: Psalm 103 is one of my all-time favorites. I smile when I see one of its appearances in the Lectionary for Mass. So many good musical settings of it exist, and in just about every … Continue reading →

The 34th Psalm is one of the most frequently used in the Roman Rite. It is one of nine common psalms for Ordinary Time. It’s something of a go-to text in the Roman Antiphonary because of verse 9a: Taste and … Continue reading →

Those who assembled readings for the sick and dying included a rarity, a passage that includes both the Lord’s Death and Resurrection. Usually reserved for Holy Week, I perceive an attempt to link the suffering and triumph of the Lord … Continue reading →

Perhaps the most well-known presentation of Psalm 90 is Isaac Watts’ 18th century paraphrase “O God Our Help In Ages Past.” The appeal is that God is available to assist those who are in need, no matter what the situation … Continue reading →

Scholars consider the numbers 42 and 43 to be one psalm. How it got numbered separately, that must be a matter of the unknown stretches of religious history. The text is also to be found at the Easter Vigil if … Continue reading →

I don’t recall ever devoting a post to Psalm 102 in the past. This lament has been awaiting a brief mention in this series on Pastoral Care of the Sick. It appears but once during Lent at weekday Mass, in … Continue reading →

The twenty-seventh psalm surfaces often in the Roman Rite. It is one of nine common psalms for Ordinary Time, a substitution option for a liturgy when the day’s assigned text gives no known  or better option for singing. One can … Continue reading →