My reflections for Jan. 28, 2006 - Saturday

January 28, 2006

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

Reading I
2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17

The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him,
Nathan said: “Judge this case for me!
In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.
The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.
But the poor man had nothing at all
except one little ewe lamb that he had bought.
He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children.
She shared the little food he had
and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom.
She was like a daughter to him.
Now, the rich man received a visitor,
but he would not take from his own flocks and herds
to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him.
Instead he took the poor man’s ewe lamb
and made a meal of it for his visitor.”
David grew very angry with that man and said to him:
“As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!
He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold
because he has done this and has had no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David: “You are the man!
Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘The sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have despised me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’
Thus says the LORD:
‘I will bring evil upon you out of your own house.
I will take your wives while you live to see it,
and will give them to your neighbor.
He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.
You have done this deed in secret,
but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel,
and with the sun looking down.’”

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed,
the child born to you must surely die.”
Then Nathan returned to his house.

The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David,
and it became desperately ill.
David besought God for the child.
He kept a fast, retiring for the night
to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth.
The elders of his house stood beside him
urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not,
nor would he take food with them.

(Through the means of a parable Nathan convinces David that he has sinned grievously. David is honest enough and humble enough to admit his wrong and does serious penance for his sins. However, there are always consequences to sin that we are powerless to undo as such. All we can do is to truly repent and seek to make good any harm that we have done if this is reasonably possible. It is one of the sorry aspects of today's society that people seem to be unwilling to take responsibility for their actions.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Gospel
Mark 4:35-41

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.

They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

(I wonder if Jesus ever got frustrated with the slowness of His disciples to trust that He had everything under control. I also wonder if I would have done any better than the disciples at trusting in Jesus. I think that the answer to the first question is: "Yes and often." and to the second one, "No, I would not have been any better, probably worse!" It is easy for us to be wise in retrospect. It is easy to make the correct judgment after the fact. Let us pray for the grace to be able to do these things in the heat of the battle or storm!)

God's special verse/thought for me today
I am nothingness, but you are everything.
I am poor and in need, but You are all immeasurably rich and able to heal all the needs of the world.
I am sinful and evil, but You my LORD are full of lavish love.

my reflections
think: It is easy for us to be wise in retrospect. It is easy to make the correct judgment after the fact. Let us pray for the grace to be able to do these things in the heat of the battle or storm.
Like a doubting Thomas, we only believe when we see it with our two eyes. A man of reason will say "to see is to believe". A man of true faith will persevere without exception because he begs for God's mercy and he Trust in Him patiently. God eventually in His time will rescue His poor child.

thank Your Lord for: your unending love and forgiveness. Thank you Lord for strengthening my faith and giving me the virtue of patience. Thank you Lord for giving me the Light so I could reflect this light to people who are in need of your love. Thank you Lord for your mercy and for rescuing me.