Articles

Friday January 31

Friday of 3rd Week of Ordinary Time

THE KINGDOM GROWS QUIETLY

Introduction

The adultery of David with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah underline that sin is very much a part of our human history; and Christ, descendant of David and Bathsheba, will save in his humanity our humanity entangled in sin. But where sin is abundant, the grace and life of Christ are even more abundant.
The kingdom of God does not irrupt in our human world with extraordinary signs and power. It is a patient, modest growth, beginning with a tiny seed in the personal salvation history of every person, in the salvation history of humankind. It is constantly threatened by sin, which is the refusal to grow.

Opening Prayer

Patient God,
curb our impatience when we try to impose
your truth and justice and peace
in a world and even a Church
not yet disposed to welcome them.
In our helplessness and discouragement,
may we come to accept
that all true growth comes from you.
We can only plant the seed:
make it bloom into a mighty tree that shelters many.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

1st Reading: 2 S 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17

The following year, when kings usually set out to fight, David sent out Joab, his officers and all the Israelite troops. They slaughtered the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem. One afternoon, David got up from his siesta and took a walk on the roof of the royal house. From the rooftop, he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. David sent to inquire about the woman, and was told, “She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah, the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to have her brought to him; and he had intercourse with her just after she had purified herself after her monthly period. Then she returned to her house. As the woman saw she was with child, she sent word to David, “I am with child.” David then sent a message to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came, David asked him about Joab, how the people were and how the war was proceeding. Then he told Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah left the palace while the king had a portion from his table sent to him. Uriah, however, did not go down to his house but slept by the door of the king’s palace with all the servants of his lord. David was told that Uriah did not go down to his house, and he said to him, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” David invited him to table and he ate and drank until he was drunk.
When evening fell, however, he went to lie down on his couch with the guards of his lord instead of going down to his house. The next morning, David wrote Joab a letter to be taken by hand by Uriah, in which he said, “Place Uriah in the front row where the fighting is very fierce and then withdraw from him so that he may be struck down and die.” When Joab was attacking the city, he assigned Uriah to a place which he knew was being defended by strong warriors. And the defenders attacked the men of Joab. Some of David’s soldiers and officers were killed; Uriah the Hittite also died.

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

R. Ne merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
R. Ne merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
R. Ne merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
R. Ne merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
R. Ne merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned

Verse before the Gospel: Mt 11:25

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom

Gospel: Mk 4:26-34

Jesus also said, “In the kingdom of God it is like this. A man scatters seed upon the soil. Whether he is asleep or awake, be it day or night, the seed sprouts and grows, he knows not how. The soil produces of itself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when it is ripe for harvesting they take the sickle for the cutting: the time for harvest has come.”
Jesus also said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall we compare it? It is like a mustard seed which, when sown, is the smallest of all the seeds scattered upon the soil. But once sown, it grows up and becomes the largest of the plants in the garden and even grows branches so big that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade.”
Jesus used many such stories or parables, to proclaim the word to them in a way they would be able to understand. He would not teach them without parables; but privately to his disciples he explained everything.

Commentary

The David narrative today is more than a little disconcerting. His conduct is lustful, deceptive, and death-dealing. He could be grateful that he had to stand only before the court of God and not that of a human magistrate. The consequences would have been much more severe.
The story’s deceit can be seen in three stages. David sees Bathsheba bathing on a nearby rooftop. Without knowing anything of her background, he lusts after her and arranges for her to be brought to his palace. When she becomes pregnant, he has her husband Uriah, a warrior in David’s army, brought back from the front and given home leave. Uriah will then be the presumed father of the child and David, exonerated. When, upon his return, Uriah does not go to his home, David is infuriated. Upon his return to batde, the king arranges for him to be killed.
This is a David narrative that does not appear elsewhere in accounts of his life. The child of this illicit union does not live. And David expresses his profound sorrow and sense of repentance. His sorrow for his conduct is sincere and his sin forgiven.
The human failing aside, the forgiveness of God is paramount. And there are no limits drawn. People may be incarcerated for life because of their misconduct, but that does not mean that their sin is not forgiven. Peace with God can be made at will.
Today we can all say with the psalmist, “Have mercy on me, God, according to your steadfast love.”

Points to Ponder

The seriousness of David’s sin
David’s sense of repentance
Morality of the death penalty

Intercessions

– That the tiny spark of faith still alive in the hearts of many who abandon the Church may not be extinguished, but grow again onto a bright light renewing their life, we pray:
– That our schools may implant into the hearts of our youth the seeds of faith, of generous and serving love, and that the Lord may bless the educators in their tremendous task, we pray:
– That missionaries may keep sowing the seed of the joyful Good News of the Lord in our often indifferent and hostile world, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Almighty and patient God,
we bring before you the fruits
grown from tiny seeds of wheat
and the small shoots of the vine.
By the power of your Spirit,
they will become Jesus among us.
Let the seed of his life and message
bear fruit among us, your people,
and make us the body of Christ to the world,
that trust and hope may grow among all.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father,
with your generous hand you have sown
among us here in this Eucharist
the seed of all that is good and true,
your Son, Jesus Christ.
However, insignificant and disappointing
our faith and love may seem now,
give us the hope and the courage
that he can unite us into a community
where truth and justice and freedom will prevail,
until the crop is ready for the reaping
in your own good time.
Grant this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

Patience and a sense of humble modesty are needed when we do God’s work. He sows, he plants, and he gives growth. He will do the harvesting. But he expects us to cooperate with him. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.