Reading 1 2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17
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.
Responsorial Psalm PS 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
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.
Alleluia Jn 3:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 4:35-41
“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?”
ONLY CONVICTS ARE FREE
"Nathan said to David: 'You are the man!' " –2 Samuel 12:7
David committed adultery, lied repeatedly, and had some people killed (2 Sm 11:4ff). After all these sins, he naturally did not feel very guilty, for guilt usually decreases as sin increases. This is because of the blinding, numbing effects of sin (see Jn 9:39-41). However, the Lord in His mercy sent the prophet Nathan to convict David of his sins (2 Sm 12:1). Then David repented and prayed: "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. For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always" (Ps 51:3-5).
Like David, we need to be convicted of our sins. It is better for us that Jesus no longer walks the face of the earth (Jn 16:7), for He has sent another Paraclete Who convicts us "about sin, about justice, about condemnation" (Jn 16:8). The Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, also convinces us that there is hope for us in our sinfulness because of our Father's mercy and the cleansing power of Jesus' blood shed on Calvary.
We do not have to live in denial or die in despair. The Holy Spirit convicts and frees us. Come Holy Spirit, convict us of our sins!
| PRAYER: | Holy Spirit, pierce me with Your two-edged sword (see Heb 4:12). |
| PROMISE: | "A great awe overcame them at this. They kept saying to one another, 'Who can this be that the wind and the sea obey Him?' " –Mk 4:41 |
| PRAISE: | After fasting for several days, Gail saw a change for the better in regard to a sinful behavior she had been trying to change. |
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