2Samuel 12:1-7,10-17
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.

1 The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him, he said ?Judge this case for me! In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor. 2 The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers. 3 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. 4 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.? 5 David grew very angry with that man and said to Nathan ?As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death! 6 He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold because he has done this and has had no pity.? 7 Then Nathan said to David ?You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel ?I anointed you king of Israel. I rescued you from the hand of Saul. 10 Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.? 11 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. 12 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.?? 13 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. 14 But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed, the child born to you must surely die.? 15 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. 16 David besought God for the child. He kept a fast, retiring for the night to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth. 17 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.

Gospel

Mark 4:35-41

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!
35 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, ?Let us cross to the other side.? 36 Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. 38 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?? 39 He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ?Quiet! Be still!? The wind ceased and there was great calm. 40 Then he asked them, ?Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?? 41 They were filled with great awe and said to one another, ?Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey??

MY REFLECTIONS:

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.

TODAY'S BLESSINGS LIST:

Thank You Lord for: _____________________________________