Friday, January 29, 2016

Friday, January 29 2016 Friday of the Third Week of Ordinary Time

Reading 1 2 Sm 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.

Responsorial Psalm PS 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.

Alleluia See Mt 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 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.

REFLECTION 

A SIN-SICK CHURCH

"Through it all the seed sprouts and grows without his knowing how it happens." –Mark 4:27

Because the Church was founded by Jesus (Mt 16:18), because Jesus is the Head of the Church (Eph 1:22), and because the Church is the heart of God's kingdom (see Mt 16:19), the Church will always grow (Mk 4:28) and will last forever (see Heb 12:28). Even if the Church in some areas is as small as a mustard seed, it will surely grow (Mk 4:31ff). Even if Christians are very weak, the Church will become strong, for God's power reaches perfection in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9).

However, the growth of the Church can be severely curtailed and delayed by our sins, for the wages of sin is death (Rm 6:23). To sin is the worst thing we can possibly do to hurt the Church, our families, ourselves, poor people, children, and everyone.

Therefore, repent! Go to Confession, for Jesus has given the leaders of the Church the authority to forgive sins in His name (Jn 20:23). By God's grace, overcome all temptations. Don't stand in the way of God's kingdom of love coming "on earth as it is in heaven" (Mt 6:10). Repent and build the Church.

PRAYER: Jesus, may I love the Church as You do (Eph 5:25). May I lay down my life for You and Your Body, the Church.
PROMISE: "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." –Ps 51:3-4
PRAISE: After many years, Phillip finally went to confession and his life was changed forever. Set free from sin, he was set free for Jesus, and followed Him with joy.

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