Daily Readings - Sat Feb 01 2020
2 Samuel
1Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And when he had come to him, he said to him: "Two men were in one city: one wealthy, and the other poor2The wealthy man had very many sheep and oxen3But the poor man had nothing at all, except one little sheep, which he had bought and nourished. And she had grown up before him, together with his children, eating from his bread, and drinking from his cup, and sleeping in his bosom. And she was like a daughter to him4But when a certain traveler had come to the wealthy man, neglecting to take from his own sheep and oxen, so that he might present a feast for that traveler, who had come to him, he took the sheep of the poor man, and he prepared a meal for the man who had come to him.5Then David’s indignation was enraged exceedingly against that man, and he said to Nathan: "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is a son of death6He shall restore the sheep fourfold, because he did this word, and he did not take pity.7But Nathan said to David: "You are that man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul10For this reason, the sword shall not withdraw from your house, even perpetually, because you have despised me, and you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite, so that she may be your wife.11And so, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up over you an evil from your own house. And I will take your wives away before your eyes, and I will give them to your neighbor. And he will sleep with your wives in the sight of this sun12For you acted secretly. But I will do this word in the sight of all of Israel, and in the sight of the sun.’ 13And David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David: "The Lord has also taken away your sin. You shall not die14Yet truly, because you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, because of this word, the son who was born to you: dying he shall die.15And Nathan returned to his own house. And the Lord struck the little one, whom the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and he was despaired of16And David begged the Lord on behalf of the little one. And David fasted strictly, and entering alone, he lay upon the ground17Then the elders of his house came, urging him to rise up from the ground. And he was not willing, nor would he eat a meal with them
Mark
35And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, "Let us cross over.36And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him37And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled38And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?39And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: "Silence. Be stilled." And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred40And he said to them: "Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?"41And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, "Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on faith, sin, and the transformative power of God. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts the story of King David’s sin and his subsequent confrontation by the prophet Nathan. David, who had risen to great heights as king, fell into grave sin by taking Uriah’s wife and arranging his death. Nathan’s parable of the rich man and the poor man’s sheep cuts through David’s defenses, leading him to acknowledge his sin. The reading reminds us that even the greatest among us can fall, but it is through repentance and acknowledgment of our sin that we find mercy and forgiveness.
The Gospel from Mark offers a starkly different yet complementary narrative. Jesus and his disciples are on a boat in the midst of a violent storm. While Jesus sleeps, the disciples panic, fearing for their lives. Jesus’ calm and authoritative command over the wind and waves reveals his divine power and challenges the disciples’ lack of faith. This story invites us to reflect on our own trust in God during life’s storms. Just as the disciples were afraid despite Jesus’ presence, we often doubt God’s providence in the face of challenges. Yet, Jesus’ words, “Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?” remind us to turn to him with confidence, knowing he is always with us.
Together, these readings call us to humility and faith. David’s story shows us that acknowledging our sin is the first step toward healing, while the Gospel reminds us that even in the midst of turmoil, God’s power and love are greater than any storm. Let us strive to live with the humility of David, who confessed his sin, and with the faith of those who, though imperfect, trusted in Jesus’ presence in their lives. May we turn to God in repentance and trust, knowing that he is always near to calm the storms and forgive our sins.