Daily Readings - Fri Jan 31 2020
2 Samuel
1In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.2One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,3and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"4Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home.5The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."6So David sent this word to Joab: "Send me Uriah the Hittite." And Joab sent him to David.7When Uriah came to him, David asked him how Joab was, how the soldiers were and how the war was going.8Then David said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and wash your feet." So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king was sent after him.9But Uriah slept at the entrance to the palace with all his master's servants and did not go down to his house.10When David was told, "Uriah did not go home," he asked him, "Haven't you just come from a distance? Why didn't you go home?"13At David's invitation, he ate and drank with him, and David made him drunk. But in the evening Uriah went out to sleep on his mat among his master's servants; he did not go home.14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.15In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."16So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were.17When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.
Mark
26He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.28All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground.32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade."33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two contrasting narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of growth and its implications in our spiritual lives. The first reading from 2 Samuel 11 presents the story of King David, a man of great faith and leadership, who succumbs to sin. His encounter with Bathsheba leads to a series of choices that escalate from adultery to murder, revealing how unchecked sin can grow and dominate one's life. This narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing sin to take root, emphasizing the importance of accountability and repentance.
The Gospel reading from Mark 4 offers a different perspective on growth through Jesus' parables of the growing seed and the mustard seed. These parables illustrate the kingdom of God's nature—starting small, yet leading to remarkable growth. Just as a seed germinates and flourishes without the farmer's constant intervention, faith can develop quietly yet powerfully within us. The mustard seed, though tiny, becomes a haven for many, symbolizing how even small acts of faith can have a profound impact.
These readings together remind us that growth is a double-edged sword. While sin can grow into something destructive, our faith can also grow into something transformative. The challenge is to nurture the right kind of growth—spiritual growth that leads to a deeper relationship with God. By tending to our faith with prayer, reflection, and good works, we can allow the kingdom of God to flourish within us, just as the mustard seed becomes a shelter for many. Let us be vigilant in uprooting sin and diligent in cultivating a fruitful spiritual life, trusting that God will bring His kingdom to fruition in and through us.