Praying the Communion Antiphon Series
Praying the Communion Antiphon
A Time Set Apart: Monday Fourth Week of Lent
Singing of Mercy
Communion Antiphon (Psalm 31:7–8)
I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
Today
we begin Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent, and you may notice that the
tone of the readings begins to shift slightly — Lent is still a season of
conversion, but light and hope start to appear more clearly.
“I
will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord.”
The
Psalm moves from quiet prayer into praise. The psalmist recognises that
God's mercy is not temporary or limited — it extends across time and through
every generation.
Mercy
is one of the deepest characteristics of God. Again and again in Scripture we
see that God remains faithful even when His people struggle to remain faithful.
“Through
all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.”
The
psalmist does not keep this experience private. Mercy becomes something to proclaim.
God’s
truth is not merely an idea or a rule; it is revealed in His faithful love.
When
someone encounters mercy, it naturally becomes something they want to share.
The
Lenten Connection
Earlier
in Lent we reflected on repentance and asking for mercy, especially in
the prayer of the tax collector:
“God,
be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Now
we see the other side of that movement.
Once
mercy is received, the heart begins to sing of it.
Lent
does not end in sorrow. It leads toward gratitude and praise.
At
Communion
This
antiphon is prayed as we receive the Eucharist.
The
Eucharist itself is the greatest sign of God's mercy — Christ giving Himself
for the life of the world.
Receiving
Him fills the heart with the desire to proclaim God's goodness.
Reflection
- When
have I experienced God’s mercy in my life?
- Do I
take time to recognise and give thanks for that mercy?
- How
might my words and actions proclaim God’s truth to others?
- What
would it mean for me today to “sing of God’s mercy”?
There
is a beautiful movement here in Lent.
On
Saturday of the third week of Lent we
prayed:
“God,
be merciful to me.”
Now
as we begin fourth week of Lent, the Psalm begins to say:
“I
will sing of your mercy.”
Mercy
received becomes mercy proclaimed
Prayer
Lord,
you are rich in mercy.
Fill my heart with gratitude
so that my life may proclaim your truth.
TAKING
THIS FURTER
Today
the connection is actually very beautiful and quite direct.
The
Gospel for Monday of the Fourth Week of Lent is John 4:43–54, the healing of
the royal official’s son.
Let’s
place the two side by side.
1.
The Antiphon: Proclaiming God’s Mercy
The
Psalm says:
I
will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord;
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.
The
emphasis here is recognising God’s action and speaking about it.
Mercy
experienced becomes testimony.
2.
The Gospel: A Household That Believes
In
the Gospel, a royal official comes to Jesus because his son is dying.
At
first Jesus simply says:
“Go;
your son will live.”
The
man believes the word Jesus spoke and begins the journey home.
Later
his servants meet him and confirm that the boy recovered at the exact hour
Jesus spoke.
Then
something very significant happens:
“He
himself believed, along with his whole household.”
3.
The Connection
Now
the Psalm makes sense in light of this story.
The
official experiences the mercy of God through Jesus.
What
happens next?
That
experience spreads.
The
whole household comes to faith.
This
is exactly what the Psalm describes:
God’s
mercy is not meant to remain hidden — it becomes something proclaimed and
shared.
4.
The Journey of Faith
There
is also a quiet movement in the Gospel:
- The
official asks for help.
- He trusts
Jesus’ word.
- He discovers
the healing.
- His whole
household believes.
Mercy
leads to faith.
Faith
leads to proclamation.
5.
A Lenten Insight
At the end of the third week of Lent we saw the prayer:
“God,
be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Today
as we begin week 4 of Lent , we see what happens when mercy is received.
It
creates faith and witness.
The
official probably spent the rest of his life telling that story.
In
other words, his life became exactly what the Psalm says:
“My
mouth will proclaim your truth.”
:
In
the Gospel a father experiences the mercy of Jesus when his son is healed. That
mercy leads not only to his own faith but to the faith of his whole household.
The Psalm invites us to do the same: when we experience God’s mercy, we are
moved to proclaim it.
There
is something quietly appropriate about this appearing at Communion.
At
the Eucharist we receive the greatest sign of God’s mercy. Like the royal
official, we are sent back into our lives carrying the story of what God has
done.
Mercy
received becomes mercy remembered and shared.
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