The Catholic Calendar for Friday, January 30, 2004
Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Samuel 11:1-4,5-10,13-17
Psalm 51:3-7,10-11
Mark 4:26-34

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

If only the Israelites had listened to Samuel, who warned them about having a king to rule over them. Previously, God Himself was their ruler, just, merciful, and wise. Samuel warned them that a king would work hardship on the poor. In today's first reading, we have a sad example of the corruption of power, even in a great king like David. Ruthlessly, he steals Bathsheba from her husband, deliberately causing that man's death. How far David had fallen, from the man who danced in a frenzy of joy and praise before the Ark of the Covenant.

We need to meditate on our own first fervor in serving the Lord. Have we, too, let complacency with God's favors diminish our fervor? The power of our Christian faith is God's power in us, that we must always nourish and use in humility, according to God's will, for the benefit of others. In so doing, we will keep ourselves from that corruption of good people like ourselves, which, God tells us, is worse in His eyes, than the corruption of evil people.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

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posted by joachim at 6:00 AM