Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[1] Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a Votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. USCCB suggests for this date: #28. The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

“David” by Pedro Berruguete, c. 1500

Readings for Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]

Readings and Commentary:[4]

Reading 1: 2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17

The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him,

Nathan said: “Judge this case for me!

In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.

The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.

But the poor man had nothing at all

except one little ewe lamb that he had bought.

He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children.

She shared the little food he had

and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom.

She was like a daughter to him.

Now, the rich man received a visitor,

but he would not take from his own flocks and herds

to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him.

Instead he took the poor man’s ewe lamb

and made a meal of it for his visitor.”

David grew very angry with that man and said to him:

“As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!

He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold

because he has done this and has had no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David:  “You are the man!

Thus says the LORD God of Israel:

‘The sword shall never depart from your house,

because you have despised me

and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’

Thus says the LORD:

‘I will bring evil upon you out of your own house.

I will take your wives while you live to see it,

and will give them to your neighbor.

He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.

You have done this deed in secret,

but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel,

and with the sun looking down.’”

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”

Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:

you shall not die.

But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed,

the child born to you must surely die.”

Then Nathan returned to his house.

The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David,

and it became desperately ill.

David besought God for the child.

He kept a fast, retiring for the night

to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth.

The elders of his house stood beside him

urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not,

nor would he take food with them.

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Commentary on 2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17

Following King David’s sins of adultery and murder, the Prophet Nathan is sent to him. Nathan uses a hypothetical story of injustice which provokes David to pronounce sentence upon the wealthy landowner who had stolen and killed the lamb from the poor man. Nathan’s use of the tenderness and affection the poor man had for the lamb that was slain can be seen as analogous to the Lamb of God, who likewise was taken and slain. However, in this case, for David it would be to show the love God had for Uriah, and the sacred nature of the relationship between Uriah and Bathsheba. David, who is a just king, pronounces a harsh sentence immediately, only to learn that the story was an analogy of his own behavior.

Because David is instantly contrite, God does not take his life. Rather the punishment meted out first was David’s public humiliation for the acts he committed (“You have done this deed in secret, but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel, and with the sun looking down”). In addition to the destruction of his house and reputation, the child of David and Bathsheba will also be stricken to demonstrate the injustice of the union between them.

CCC: 2 Sm 12:1-4 2538; 2 Sm 12:4 2538; 2 Sm 12:7-15 1736

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Give me back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in me.

I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners shall return to you.

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;

then my tongue shall revel in your justice.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

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Commentary on Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Psalm 51, a personal lament, is the fourth and most famous of the penitential psalms. In these verses the psalmist sings that only God can reverse the awful effects of sin. Through this action, taken by the Holy Spirit, God’s salvation is made manifest in the repentant and their contrite hearts. We are also reminded of Baptism and the purifying effect of that bath.

CCC: Ps 51:12 298, 431

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Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:

“Let us cross to the other side.”

Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.

And other boats were with him.

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,

so that it was already filling up.

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.

They woke him and said to him,

“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

He woke up,

rebuked the wind,

and said to the sea, “Quiet!  Be still!”

The wind ceased and there was great calm.

Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?

Do you not yet have faith?”

They were filled with great awe and said to one another,

“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

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Commentary on Mk 4:35-41

In this passage, Jesus embarks in what is probably a fishing boat with his disciples. A storm comes up and the disciples are afraid. Jesus, with a word (“Quiet! Be still!"), silences the storm and waters, demonstrating the authority of the Messiah over the elements of the created world. The implication of his next statement ("Do you not yet have faith?”) is that, if the disciples had a mature faith, they could have done the same. The disciples are awed by his power but do not yet have faith to understand its source. This incident gives insight into the gift of Christ's peace to those who have faith in the face of adversity.

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Reflection:

The effects of unreconciled sin impact King David in the first reading.  Following the actions that led directly to the death of Uriah (the lawful husband of the woman David coveted – Bathsheba), God sends Nathan the prophet to accuse David of the crime against God’s commandments and to inform David of his temporal punishment.  While David is contrite, the effects of the sin he has committed impact everyone associated with it, including the child born of that union.  The blood of Uriah stained everything.

We of the modern age see the punishment of the innocent child of David and Bathsheba as an instance where the Old Testament authors misunderstood events.  They presumed that the illness visited upon the child was the result of a just and vengeful God punishing the couple, most directly David, the father.  They could not understand a God of mercy, who would not answer sin with sin.  Rather, the sin that was witnessed by those who authored this account in the Second Book of Samuel needed punishment, and they saw the illness of the child as appropriate, given the magnitude of the sin.  It is the same understanding of God we see Jesus encountering during his healing ministry in Galilee: those who were blind, lame, or otherwise physically afflicted (lepers) were seen as being punished by God for unknown sins.

The reality of unreconciled sin is actually much worse.  Where there is no contrition for sins committed, guilt becomes like a cancer that festers.  Indeed, intense guilt will manifest itself outwardly and even physically.  It can cause a person to sink into deep depression, neglecting work, family, and self.  Guilt may cause other defensive responses in the personality of one so afflicted.  That person may become amoral, suppressing any understanding of sinful acts and completely embracing sin; rejecting the one who has the power to take all of that pain away.

When King David had relations with Bathsheba, when he had Uriah sent to a place where he would surely be killed, when he took the dead man’s wife, God was not stepping away from David; David was stepping away from God.  Likewise when we sin, who has moved?  Fortunately for us, in spite of the outward signs of sin, we have an all-powerful Savior who came into the world so that we could understand a loving and merciful God who would not punish a child for the sins of its parents.

Today we are given one more example of why Christ had to come into the world.  He came with power over all things to become the sacrifice that makes us whole.  It was Christ who became the bridge to heaven over which we must travel if we are to find our heavenly home.  Today we pray that we find the strength to place our sins before Christ, asking for his mercy. In so doing, we reconcile with the Lord and thereby mitigate the effects of sin in our lives.

Pax

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by “BVM.” The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

[2] The picture is “David” by Pedro Berruguete, c. 1500.

[3] S.S. Commemoratio

[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

“St. John Bosco.” 
Artist and Date were not cited

Proper for the Memorial of St. John Bosco [1]

Biographical information about St. John Bosco

Readings for Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: 2 Samuel 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17

At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign,

David sent out Joab along with his officers

and the army of Israel,

and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah.

David, however, remained in Jerusalem.

One evening David rose from his siesta

and strolled about on the roof of the palace.

From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful.

David had inquiries made about the woman and was told,

“She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam,

and wife of Joab’s armor bearer Uriah the Hittite.”

Then David sent messengers and took her.

When she came to him, he had relations with her.

She then returned to her house.

But the woman had conceived,

and sent the information to David, “I am with child.”

David therefore sent a message to Joab,

“Send me Uriah the Hittite.”

So Joab sent Uriah to David.

When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers,

and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well.

David then said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and bathe your feet.” 

Uriah left the palace,

and a portion was sent out after him from the king’s table.

But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace

with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down

to his own house.

David was told that Uriah had not gone home.

On the day following, David summoned him,

and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk.

But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his bed

among his lord’s servants, and did not go down to his home.

The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab

which he sent by Uriah.

In it he directed:

“Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce.

Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead.”

So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah

to a place where he knew the defenders were strong.

When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab,

some officers of David’s army fell,

and among them Uriah the Hittite died.

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Commentary on 2 Sm 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17

In this passage from the Second Book of Samuel, King David falls prey to his human desires and human weakness as he abuses the power of his high station to commit an act of adultery.  He then compounds his sin by contributing directly to the death of Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba’s husband. God’s laws have been violated and David will be punished for this injustice.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6a, 6bcd-7, 10-11

R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

and of my sin cleanse me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

For I acknowledge my offense,

and my sin is before me always:

“Against you only have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight.”

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

I have done such evil in your sight

that you are just in your sentence,

blameless when you condemn.

True, I was born guilty,

a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;

the bones you have crushed shall rejoice.

Turn away your face from my sins,

and blot out all my guilt.

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

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Commentary on Ps 51:3-4, 5-6a, 6bcd-7, 10-11

Psalm 51 is a communal lament, perhaps the most penitential of the psalms. These strophes constitute a song of contrition as the sins of the singer are acknowledged.  We note the results of unatoned or unreconciled sin is the anguish of guilt which the singer begs to be lifted.

CCC: Ps 51:6 431, 1850

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Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

Jesus said to the crowds:

“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;

it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land

and would sleep and rise night and day

and the seed would sprout and grow,

he knows not how.

Of its own accord the land yields fruit,

first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,

for the harvest has come.”

He said,

“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,

or what parable can we use for it?

It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,

is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.

But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants

and puts forth large branches,

so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”

With many such parables

he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.

Without parables he did not speak to them,

but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

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Commentary on Mk 4:26-34

We are given two parables from the Gospel of St. Mark. The first is unique to Mark’s Gospel, and follows the parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-9. The mystery of the seed is analogous to Jesus’ own ministry which starts as a seed but grows to encompass the world.  Another frequent analogy follows: the seed, apparently dying, falling to the earth and buried, then rising to new life - the great Paschal Mystery.

The second parable, the parable of the Mustard Seed, echoes the vision of the Kingdom of God described in Ezekiel 17:23; Ezekiel 31:6, with the image of the Kingdom of God providing a resting place for all, just as the giant cedars of Lebanon do for the birds.

CCC: Mk 4:33-34 546

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Reflection:

There are two related concepts presented in sacred scripture today.  First, we have the story from the Second Book of Samuel about King David’s fall into sin with Bathsheba.  His example, while serving as a warning, also has some comfort for us.  It demonstrates clearly that even the mightiest anointed one of God might be tempted to sin and fall from grace.  There is a saying that is supported by this event that had its origins (at least in English) back in the 1700’s that most of us are also familiar with: “Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  David fell into the sin of adultery because it was within his power to take whatever he desired, and he was not strong enough to resist the call of the flesh.  Further demonstrating human weakness and the corrupting influence of power, David kills Bathsheba’s husband indirectly by placing him in harm’s way. He essentially orders the death of Uriah.

The story of David and Bathsheba is compellingly human and serves as a warning to all persons who assume positions in which they have power over others, be that in politics, business, the military, or even (perhaps especially) the Church.  The temptation to abuse power and misuse trust is one of the greatest evils of our human condition.  The dangers of greed, lust, and pride should be identified with giant letters whenever a person is promoted to a position of power or authority. The greater the power the more temptation to these sins will be present.

We go so far as to suggest that, in addition to swearing allegiance to the U.S. Constitution (or any other country’s form of government), any person who accepts the public trust must be publicly warned of the danger of this kind of corruption.  People who lack principles or strength of character routinely fall into scandal as a consequence.  Some so identified are contrite; others demonstrate, by their behavior, that contrition is not part of their character. 

On the heels of this story of power, greed, and corruption comes the Gospel, which reminds us that what we risk losing when we fall into the trap of sin is nothing less than the Kingdom of God and eternal life.  What we also recognize from the Gospel is that the more gifted the person is the higher the bar is set, the greater the Lord’s expectations (e.g. the parable of the talents).  As members of one of the most affluent societies on earth, this should be a grave warning for us indeed.  We are called to a higher standard of behavior, a greater love of neighbor and God, a more charitable life-style.

The Lord calls us not to be comfortable with our wealth and power, but to see it as both a responsibility and as a risk.  Instead of seeing those with great wealth through the eyes of envy, we should look at them with pity, for their accountability will be great, and the risk they face is immense.  Today we pray for those of great wealth or power, may they be stronger than King David and listen to the Holy Spirit as their guide.

Pax

This feast marks the 14^th anniversary of this apostolate.  On this date in 2006 I published the first post on Myspace.com.  Since that date, I have been given the grace to write commentary on all of the scripture texts in the four volume Lectionary for Mass as well as those contained in the Lectionary of Special Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary. I have also written reflections or homilies on all of the weekday, Sunday, memorials, feasts, and solemnities celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church.  Thanks be to God for the Word made flesh and our salvation.  Dcn. Jim Miles

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[1] The picture used today is “St. John Bosco.” Artist and Date were not cited.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.