27 Jan 24 – Saturday of Week 3

27 Jan 24 – Saturday of Week 3

Optional Memorial: St Angela Merici, 1474-1540, founder of the Ursulines.

1st Reading: 2 Samuel 12:1-7, 10-17

Nathan warns David; his sin with Bathsheba will be punished within his own family

The Lord sent Nathan to David. He went to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meagre fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the Lord: I will raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this very sun. For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan said to David, “Now the Lord has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his house.

The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.

Responsorial: Psalm 50:12-17

R./: Create a clean heart in me, O God

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit. (R./)

Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you. (R./)

O rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise. (R./)

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

Jesus quells the storm at sea, overcoming the forces of nature

When evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Human limitations and ideals

Even kings share the weaknesses of other mortals, as is graphically portrayed in David’s story. His affair with Bathsheba was spurred by lust and arrogance, and was absolutely normal in the palaces of the ancient Near East! It took the brave prophet Nathan to speak God’s judgment on David and brush aside all excuses. “You are the one who did wrong!” he growled, and added that violence would always cling to David’s dynasty on account of that act of treachery

Ideals are more than statements in a book, even a book as sacred as the Bible; they must go beyond philosophical theorems, and lead to genuine service of God. In God’s name Nathan tells David, “You despised me in taking the wife of Uriah to be your wife.” In acting with justice and charity, we follow genuine ideals, but when we are unjust to others, we turn our back on God. This is clear in Jesus’ words: “As often as you did it for one of my little ones, you did it for me” (Matthew 25:40).

He is with us always, even when we are scared by the raging wind and waves breaking against our “boat.” Jesus says, “Why are you so afraid? Why so little faith?” The encouragement he brought to his disciples on the storm in Galilee, he still gives to us who trust in him.

Lord, Save Us!

In the middle of the storm, they cried out loud, ‘Lord, save us.’ Elsewhere they had begged him, ‘Lord, increase our faith.’ That is quite like the prayer of St Thomas, ‘Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.’ Even if we feel our faith is weak at times, even that little faith is a blessing, because God can do great things with it. They experienced his powerful presence they felt a new surge of faith and trust. Filled with wonder they asked each other, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”