The Modern Psalmist

Today's celebration of Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season as we celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God. The Psalm today, taken from chapter 104, is a plea to the Lord to send out His Spirit: "Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth." The Gospel Acclamation for today is taken from one of the prayers in the Catholic missal, and echoes the same petition to th...

It's good to be back to this podcast after taking such a long hiatus.  But I found that my baby daughter was just too much for me to handle full-time and get the podcast out regularly, so I had to chose to take a break.  Thank you for your patience, texts, emails and other words of encouragement. Today we're celebrating the final days of the Easter season with the Feast of the Ascension...

Today's episode features a guided meditation on Psalm 23.  This Sunday is Good Shepherd Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Easter, year B, and although the psalm selected for this particular cycle of the liturgical calendar is actually Psalm 118, I thought a meditation on Psalm 23 would be appropriate.  "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want." The famous Psalm 23, where the Lord...

The responsorial psalm for today, taken from chapter 147, states: "Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted." The communion anitphon today fits the theme of Jesus as a healer in that he meets all of our needs.  Taken from Psalm 107, verses 8 & 9, it states: "Let them thank the Lord for his mercy, his wonders for the children of men, for he satisfies the thirsty soul, and the hungry he...

In these first few Sundays of cycle B, we're exploring the themes of Jesus' call to us and his role as our healer.  How perfect is the psalm for today then, taken from chapter 95: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." The communion antiphon for today, Psalm 31:17-18, fits so well with the lesson from Gospel to call on the Lord, saying: "Let your face shine on your servant. Sa...

The psalm for today is taken from chapter 25: "Teach me your ways, O Lord." The communion antiphon for today, taken from Psalm chapter 34 verse 6, further encourages us to turn to the Lord, stating: "Look toward the Lord and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed."  Continuing in the theme of our Lord Jesus calling us to follow him, the Gospel Acclamation taken from Mark chapter 1 verse 15...

This weekend we're celebrating the 2nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, year B.   This is also the first episode of Season 2 of the podcast, and I want to take a moment to thank you for listening!  And if you are enjoying this podcast, please take a moment to give it a rating, and - if you are really feeling generous - give a short review of how this podcast is enriching your Christian spiritual...

This weekend we are celebrating the Fourth and final Sunday of Advent.  In only a few more days we will enter the Christmas season. O come, Emmanuel. The communion antiphon, taken from Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14, prophesied this very coming of the Lord.  It reads: "Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and his name will be called Emmanuel." This isn't some fantasy book.  Th...

This weekend we are celebrating the Third Sunday of Advent.  O come, Emmanuel. The communion antiphon for today is from Isaiah chapter 35, verse 3: "Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold, our God will come, and he will save us." Now, the psalm this weekend is actually *not* from the book of Psalms, but instead is from Luke Chapter 1: "My soul rejoices in my God." http:/...

This weekend we are celebrating the Second Sunday of Advent.  O come, Emmanuel. The psalm this weekend is from Chapter 85: "Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation." http://www.themodernpsalmist.com

This weekend we are celebrating the beginning of a new liturgical year, cycle B, with the First Sunday of Advent.  O come, Emmanuel. The psalm this weekend is from Chapter 80: "Lord make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved." http://www.themodernpsalmist.com

This weekend we're celebrating the final Sunday of the Liturgical Year, cycle A, with the Feast of Christ the King.  Next Sunday we begin a new liturgical year, cycle B, with the First Sunday of Advent.   Christ the King is a really special solemnity for me because it was on this day, over 15 years ago, that I was confirmed.  So I always look forward to this feast day every year. &n...

This weekend we are celebrating the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A.  Just one more Sunday is left in this liturgical year before we begin again with Advent, year B. The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 128: "Blessed are those who fear the Lord."

This weekend we're celebrating the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle A. The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 63: " My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God. " The featured song for this Sunday is the traditional Irish tune, "Be Thou My Vision" http://www.themodernpsalmist.com

This weekend we're celebrating the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle A.  The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 23, one of the most quoted and remembered of all the psalms.  The response for this particular Sunday is: "I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." Featured Songs: Psalm 23: The House of the Lord (Rebecca De La Torre) Panis Angelicus (traditional) We...

This weekend we're celebrating the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle A.  The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 80: "The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel." http://www.themodernpsalmist.com

his weekend we're celebrating the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle A. The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 25: "Remember your mercies, O Lord." Hymn of the Jubilee of Mercy http://www.iubilaeummisericordiae.va/content/gdm/en/giubileo/inno.html

This weekend we're celebrating the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle A.  The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 145: "The Lord is near to all who call upon him." Featured Songs: Psalm 145: The Lord is Near (Rebecca De La Torre) https://themodernpsalmist.com/ We Are Yours (Rebecca De La Torre) https://themodernpsalmist.com

The psalm for this Sunday is from chapter 103: "The Lord is kind and merciful,  slow to anger, and rich in compassion." Music Featured in today's podcast: "Psalm 95: If Today" "Lord Have Mercy (Psalm 51)"  by Rebecca De La Torre http://www.rebeccadelatorre.com http://www.themodernpsalmist.com

This is the first episode of this podcast where I'll feature, first and foremost, a musical setting (or multiple settings) of the responsorial psalm for the coming Sunday according to the Catholic liturgical calendar.  The psalms are always verbatim from the USCCB English leccionary.  Also, I have a sister podcast in Spanish, El Salmista Moderno, where I feature a musical setting of the...