Happy 4th...Thank you Lord for your bounteous bounty!

Psalm 65: NRSVCE2

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.

1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed, 2 O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come. 3 When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. 4 Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.

5 By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. 6 By your[a] strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. 7 You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. 8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

9 You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Let us carry out our vows to the Lord: To Praise God for God is Love; to pray, fast, and give alms; to love our neighbor charitably; to proclaim and live the Gospel; to repent and to believe in the Gospel knowing that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Also, to build Christ’s Kingdom among you; let us continue to rebuild the Body of Christ---The Holy Catholic Church!

Let us continue to ask for forgiveness especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation; to work out our salvation in fear and trembling (read: Awe and Reverence!); God has given us His Son…The Son has given himself to us in the Holy Eucharist…his very Sacred Body and Blood! Let us partake (daily if possible but definitely every Sunday) as God has supplied “The Grain” we need as the river of God is full of water…full of His Spirit; His blessings are everywhere and we can bring these blessings everywhere we go as we “shout and sing together for joy.”