He Commands His Angels to Guard You in All Your Ways

Brief Homily on Scripture Readings for March 9th 2025

The central theme of our scripture readings today is that God hears us when we call out to Him, and he responds with actions that help us, protect us, and provide provide for us with spiritual and temporal aid to get us through difficult times in our lives.

The title of this post comes from the sentiment of Psalm 91 which is my favorite Psalm. If you take nothing else away from reading this - take away that you should be reading Psalm 91 every day. It takes, literally, only one minute ! While I am making recommendations, you should also be reading Psalm 23 every evening before going to bed. This one takes, literally, only one-half minute ! You can use the extra half-minute to thank God for the blessings of your day and ask God’s Holy Angels to be with you and watch over you as you sleep. You will be surprised at the positive effect it will have on your life. And, besides, you can then brag to your friends that you read the Psalms twice a day!

Enough admonition - lets look at our readings for today.

The first two readings and the Psalm all proclaim the importance of our “calling out” to God. These three different episodes and circumstances all have this in common: a literal calling out to God.

Such a conscious, mental, free will decision to approach and ask God for help is your ascent to God; your admitting that you can not do it alone under your own human power. You are in this way acknowledging that He is your Heavenly Father who loves you and cares for you. If possible say your prayers to God out loud with your voice (a quiet “inside voice” like I tell my grandson :-). By making the words audible, and sending the words into the air and to Heaven, you are making your mental decision into a real physical action. You will feel the difference.

From the first reading we read:
“we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and he heard our cry.”

From Psalm 91 we read:
“I will say to the Lord: My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

From the second reading we read:
“one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.”

So its pretty clear that God desires that we call on Him, literally, when we seek His help. You can read the specific instances, circumstances and situations in each of the readings at the end of this post. Although each are different, they tell the story of God responding to us when we ask for His help.

Lastly, the Gospel was chosen because of the Lenten season. The account of Jesus fasting for 40 days in the desert which is to encourage us in our Lenten fasting. But beyond that there is an important addition to the theme we have been considering today - that of asking God for help and anticipating that He will provide us for what we need. Now, in this Gospel passage, Jesus adds a caution and admonishes us: “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”

So, when you ask God for help, ask in a humble way for His assistance for a real situation, a real need, and not just a circumstance that you contrive to “test” if God is really there, or if He really loves you.

He does.

He always has.

He always will.

And remember, pray (out loud) Psalm 91 each day and Psalm 23 each evening. Your life will be filled with much more peace and trust in the Lord if you do this.

Peace and Blessing to you and yours.

Photo mine from my altar overlooking the mountains

Scriptures for today:

Deuteronomy 26:4-10

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“The priest shall receive the basket from you
and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.
Then you shall declare before the Lord, your God,
‘My father was a wandering Aramean
who went down to Egypt with a small household
and lived there as an alien.
But there he became a nation
great, strong, and numerous.
When the Egyptians maltreated and oppressed us,
imposing hard labor upon us,
we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers,
and he heard our cry
and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.
He brought us out of Egypt
with his strong hand and outstretched arm,
with terrifying power, with signs and wonders;
and bringing us into this country,
he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.
Therefore, I have now brought you the firstfruits
of the products of the soil
which you, O LORD, have given me.’
And having set them before the LORD, your God,
you shall bow down in his presence.”

Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust.”

No evil shall befall you,
nor shall affliction come near your tent,
For to his angels he has given command about you,
that they guard you in all your ways.

Upon their hands they shall bear you up,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the asp and the viper;
you shall trample down the lion and the dragon.

Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress;
I will deliver him and glorify him.

Romans 10:8-13

Brothers and sisters:
What does Scripture say?
The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart
—that is, the word of faith that we preach—,
for, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
For the Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Luke 4:1-13

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.
He ate nothing during those days,
and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
command this stone to become bread.”
Jesus answered him,
“It is written, One does not live on bread alone.”
Then he took him up and showed him
all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him,
“I shall give to you all this power and glory;
for it has been handed over to me,
and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It is written
You shall worship the Lord, your God,
and him alone shall you serve.”
Then he led him to Jerusalem,
made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him,
“If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down from here, for it is written:
He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,
and:
With their hands they will support you,
lest you dash your foot against a stone.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“It also says,
You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.”
When the devil had finished every temptation,
he departed from him for a time.