Daily Retreat 02/01/08
2008 Feb 1 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
2 Sm 11: 1-4a. 5-10a. 13-17/ Ps 50(51): 3-4. 5-6a. 6bcd-7. 10-11/ Mk 4: 26-34
From today’s readings: “At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign.... Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.... Without parables He did not speak to them, but to His own disciples He explained everything in private.”
David’s Moral Bankruptcy
Chapter 11 of the Second Book of Samuel is a major turning point: David, who had demonstrated so convincingly his devotion, courage, humility, mercy, magnanimity, and other outstanding character traits, now falls headfirst into a cesspool of sin. First, he slips into the sin of sloth - scripture says, “At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign.... David, however, remained in Jerusalem.” In other words, he wasn’t living his divine vocation with his earlier zeal, but instead was content to pamper himself and let others do the hard part of leading Israel.
Then, the King collapses into covetousness, looking with lust on Bathsheba bathing and wantonly wanting her. David then abuses his authority by having Bathsheba brought to his palace, where he commits adultery with her. After Bathsheba conceives, David attempts to cover his sin by sending for her husband, Uriah. David does his best to entice Uriah to take a respite of returning to his own home with his wife, but since the military code of that time called for soldiers to abstain from such comforts, Uriah sticks steadfast to his duty!
Murderously, David decides on the death of Uriah, tyrannically and scornfully commanding that noble soldier to return to battle, unknowingly carrying his own death decree in the letter King David sent to Joab, the commander, with the perfidious plan for Uriah’s demise, which is carried out to the letter.
In such a short span, David degenerated from a most moral monarch to a terribly treacherous tyrant! Let none among us be so presumptuous as to think such a lapse and collapse of character could never happen to you or me! Although few (if any!) of us have consistently demonstrated the rectitude that attested to the quality of David’s earlier moral fiber, yet the Devil lays his traps for you and me just as ruthlessly. On our own, we are all doomed to fall - only with Grace can we resist Satan’s snares. So we pray every day, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil!”
2 Sm 11: 1-4a. 5-10a. 13-17/ Ps 50(51): 3-4. 5-6a. 6bcd-7. 10-11/ Mk 4: 26-34
From today’s readings: “At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign.... Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.... Without parables He did not speak to them, but to His own disciples He explained everything in private.”
David’s Moral Bankruptcy
Chapter 11 of the Second Book of Samuel is a major turning point: David, who had demonstrated so convincingly his devotion, courage, humility, mercy, magnanimity, and other outstanding character traits, now falls headfirst into a cesspool of sin. First, he slips into the sin of sloth - scripture says, “At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign.... David, however, remained in Jerusalem.” In other words, he wasn’t living his divine vocation with his earlier zeal, but instead was content to pamper himself and let others do the hard part of leading Israel.
Then, the King collapses into covetousness, looking with lust on Bathsheba bathing and wantonly wanting her. David then abuses his authority by having Bathsheba brought to his palace, where he commits adultery with her. After Bathsheba conceives, David attempts to cover his sin by sending for her husband, Uriah. David does his best to entice Uriah to take a respite of returning to his own home with his wife, but since the military code of that time called for soldiers to abstain from such comforts, Uriah sticks steadfast to his duty!
Murderously, David decides on the death of Uriah, tyrannically and scornfully commanding that noble soldier to return to battle, unknowingly carrying his own death decree in the letter King David sent to Joab, the commander, with the perfidious plan for Uriah’s demise, which is carried out to the letter.
In such a short span, David degenerated from a most moral monarch to a terribly treacherous tyrant! Let none among us be so presumptuous as to think such a lapse and collapse of character could never happen to you or me! Although few (if any!) of us have consistently demonstrated the rectitude that attested to the quality of David’s earlier moral fiber, yet the Devil lays his traps for you and me just as ruthlessly. On our own, we are all doomed to fall - only with Grace can we resist Satan’s snares. So we pray every day, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from Evil!”
posted by FrPitstick | 1/31/2008
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