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“Saint Thomas Aquinas Girded by Angels”
Diego Velázquez, c. 1650’s |
Readings for Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time [1]
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 clearly demonstrates 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 lifestyle.
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
[1] The picture used today is “Saint Thomas Aquinas Girded by Angels” Diego Velázquez, c. 1650’s.
[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.
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