Daily Readings - Fri Jan 28 2022
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 distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of growth and responsibility. The first reading from 2 Samuel 11 presents King David, a man of great faith, succumbing to temptation and sin. His actions, though hidden, lead to a chain of events that reveal the profound consequences of our choices. This story reminds us that even the righteous can falter, and that sin, if unchecked, can lead to harm and destruction.
The Gospel reading from Mark 4 offers a contrasting perspective with two parables about the kingdom of God. The parable of the growing seed illustrates how growth can occur even without our full understanding, much like how God's kingdom unfolds in ways both seen and unseen. The mustard seed parable highlights the potential for small beginnings to yield significant outcomes, emphasizing faith and trust in God's plan.
Together, these readings invite us to consider the dual nature of growth—both the destructive potential of unchecked sin and the transformative power of faith. Just as David's actions led to negative consequences, our choices can either hinder or enhance our spiritual growth. The parables encourage us to nurture our faith, allowing it to flourish like the mustard seed, providing shelter and sustenance for others.
As we reflect on these readings, let us examine our own lives. Are there areas where we allow sin to take root, leading to harm? Or are we cultivating the soil of our hearts, allowing God's kingdom to grow within us? Let us strive to align our actions with God's will, embracing the growth that leads to life and flourishing, rather than decay and regret.