This Sunday, the Church places before us one of the most beloved and powerful prayers in all of Scripture: Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
These are not simply poetic or comforting words. They express something essential about who God is, and who we are in relationship to Him.
To say “The Lord is my shepherd” means first that we are not alone, and we are not left to guide ourselves through life. A shepherd knows his sheep intimately. He calls them by name. He walks ahead of them. He leads them to what they truly need, not always what they think they need, but what will give them life.
We are not anonymous in God’s eyes. Through our baptism, we belong to Him. The Shepherd knows us personally, our strengths, our struggles, our wounds. This is not a distant God. This is a God who walks with us.
Psalm 23 speaks of being led to “green pastures” and “still waters.” This is more than physical rest; it is the peace of a soul that is rooted in God. The Shepherd leads us into the fullness of life: into holiness, into trust, and ultimately into eternal life with Him.
The psalm reminds us: “Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil; for you are at my side.” Notice, it does not say we will avoid the valley. The Catholic/Christian life does not remove suffering, it transforms it. The Shepherd is with us in it. His presence becomes our strength. To call the Lord our Shepherd is to place our lives in His care. It is to trust His direction, even when the path is unclear. It is to believe that He is leading us, even when we do not fully understand where we are going.
To pray Psalm 23 is not simply to recite a familiar passage. It is a statement of trust. It is an act of surrender. It is a reminder that we do not walk alone in life, and that we are always being led. And perhaps most importantly, it is an invitation to remain close to the Shepherd’s voice, to resist the temptation to lead ourselves, and to return to Him whenever we wander.
This week, I invite you to take a moment each day to pray with Psalm 23. Slowly. Personally. Let those words become your own. And ask yourself one simple question: Am I truly trusting the Shepherd to lead me?
May we walk with confidence, even through the darkest valleys…and may we rest in the quiet assurance that goodness and kindness follow us all the days of our lives.
Be assured of my prayers for you and your families.