God, Let Us See Your Kindness and Grant Us Your Salvation
God proclaims “peace to the people.” This peace will bring healing to all. Psalm 85 was probably written when the Babylonian exiles returned to Jerusalem and the city was in shambles. The people are devastated and need to be reassured that we belong to God and God is always faithful. We need to remember that we encounter God’s proclamation of peace in many ways: reading the Bible, opening our hearts to God in prayer, and listening to the prophetic voices of others. If we desire to pray this psalm sincerely, we must be ready for God’s answer. We must be open to God’s peace which, as Pope Paul VI reminded us, is the fruit of justice. We must be ready to seek and accept the truth — the truth about our lives and relationships, the truth about our church and our nation — the truth that will show us where we avoid or create obstacles to kindness and justice and how we must change our ways. Our task is to seek God’s will.
O God, let me hear what you have to say,
for you will speak peace to your people,
to those who are near you, and who turn to you in their hearts.
Your salvation is near for those who fear you,
that glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth, have embraced; justice and peace will kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice will look down from heaven.
You will give what is good, our land will yield its increase.
Justice shall go before you and make a path for your steps.
[verses adapted from People’s Companion to the Breviary © 1997 by the Carmelites of Indianapolis]