Daily Readings - Mon Jan 29 2024
2 Samuel
13Then a messenger went to David, saying, "With their whole heart, all of Israel is following Absalom.14And David said to his servants, who were with him in Jerusalem: "Rise up, let us flee! For otherwise there will be no escape for us from the face of Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest perhaps, upon arriving, he may seize us, and force ruin upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.30But David ascended to the Mount of Olives, climbing and weeping, advancing with bare feet and with his head covered. Moreover, all the people who were with him ascended, weeping with their heads covered
5Then king David went as far as Bahurim. And behold, a man from the kindred of the house of Saul, named Shimei, the son of Gera, went out from there. And going out, he continued on, and he was cursing6and throwing stones against David and against all the servants of king David. And all the people and all the warriors were traveling to the right and to the left sides of the king7And so, as he was cursing the king, Shimei said: "Go away, go away, you man of blood, and you man of Belial8The Lord has repaid you for all the blood of the house of Saul. For you have usurped the kingdom in place of him. And so, the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. And behold, your evils press close upon you, because you are a man of blood.9Then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king: "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go and cut off his head.10And the king said: "What is it to me and to all of you, O sons of Zeruiah? Permit him, so that he may curse. For the Lord has commanded him to curse David. And who is the one who would dare to say, ‘Why has he done so?’ 11And the king said to Abishai and to all his servants: "Behold, my son, who went forth from my loins, is seeking my life. How much more does a son of Benjamin do so now? Permit him, so that he may curse, in accord with the command of the Lord12Perhaps the Lord may look with favor upon my affliction, and the Lord may repay me good, in place of the cursing of this day.13And so, David continued walking along the way, and his associates with him. But Shimei was advancing along the ridge of the mountain on the side opposite him, cursing and throwing stones at him, and scattering dirt
Mark
1And they went across the strait of the sea into the region of the Gerasenes2And as he was departing from the boat, he was immediately met, from among the tombs, by a man with an unclean spirit3who had his dwelling place with the tombs; neither had anyone been able to bind him, even with chains4For having been bound often with shackles and chains, he had broken the chains and smashed the shackles; and no one had been able to tame him5And he was always, day and night, among the tombs, or in the mountains, crying out and cutting himself with stones6And seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and adored him7And crying out with a loud voice, he said: "What am I to you, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? I beseech you by God, that you not torment me.8For he said to him, "Depart from the man, you unclean spirit.9And he questioned him: "What is your name?" And he said to him, "My name is Legion, for we are many.10And he entreated him greatly, so that he would not expel him from the region11And in that place, near the mountain, there was a great herd of swine, feeding12And the spirits entreated him, saying: "Send us into the swine, so that we may enter into them.13And Jesus promptly gave them permission. And the unclean spirits, departing, entered into the swine. And the herd of about two thousand rushed down with great force into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea14Then those who pastured them fled, and they reported it in the city and in the countryside. And they all went out to see what was happening15And they came to Jesus. And they saw the man who had been troubled by the demon, sitting, clothed and with a sane mind, and they were afraid16And those who had seen it explained to them how he had dealt with the man who had the demon, and about the swine17And they began to petition him, so that he would withdraw from their borders18And as he was climbing into the boat, the man who had been troubled by the demons began to beg him, so that he might be with him19And he did not permit him, but he said to him, "Go to your own people, in your own house, and announce to them how great are the things that Lord has done for you, and how he has taken pity on you.20And he went away and began to preach in the Ten Cities, how great were the things that Jesus had done for him. And everyone wondered
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on humility, trust in God, and the transformative power of faith. The first reading from 2 Samuel portrays King David in a moment of profound humility as he flees from his son Absalom. Despite being a king, David chooses not to retaliate against Shimei's curses but instead trusts in God's providence, acknowledging that his suffering might be a form of divine purification. This response highlights David's deep faith and humility, even in the face of great adversity.
The Gospel from Mark presents a striking contrast with the story of the man possessed by Legion. This man, marginalized and tormented by unclean spirits, finds liberation through Jesus' compassion. Jesus' power over evil spirits is evident as He heals the man and sends the spirits into a herd of pigs. The man's transformation is so profound that he becomes a witness to Jesus' power, sharing his testimony with others. This narrative underscores the transformative impact of encountering Jesus and the importance of sharing our experiences of God's grace with others.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own responses to adversity and the role of faith in our lives. Like David, we are called to embrace humility and trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem overwhelming. Like the man with Legion, we are reminded of the healing power of Jesus and the call to share our testimony with others. May we, like these figures, find the strength to face our challenges with faith and humility, and may our encounters with Jesus transform us and inspire others to seek His healing power.