The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to trust in the Way of Christ that finds truth, goodness, and love in the people close to us who we may underestimate as agents of peace and joy.
The reading from the Second Book of Samuel describes the Judgement on David’s Sin.
* [24:10] The narrative supposes that since the people belonged to the Lord rather than to the king, only the Lord should know their exact number. Further, since such an exact numbering of the people would make it possible for the king to exercise centralized power, imposing taxation, conscription, and expropriation upon Israel, the story shares the view of monarchy found in 1 Sm 8:4–18. See also Nm 3:44–51, where census taking requires an apotropaic offering. (2 Samuel, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 32 praises the Joy of Forgiveness.
* [Psalm 32] An individual thanksgiving and the second of the seven Penitential Psalms (cf. Ps 6). The opening declaration—the forgiven are blessed (Ps 32:1–2)—arises from the psalmist’s own experience. At one time the psalmist was stubborn and closed, a victim of sin’s power (Ps 32:3–4), and then became open to the forgiving God (Ps 32:5–7). Sin here, as often in the Bible, is not only the personal act of rebellion against God but also the consequences of that act—frustration and waning of vitality. Having been rescued, the psalmist can teach others the joys of justice and the folly of sin (Ps 32:8–11). (Psalms, PSALM 32 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Mark describes the rejection of Jesus at Nazareth.
* [6:1] His native place: the Greek word patris here refers to Nazareth (cf. Mk 1:9; Lk 4:16, 23–24) though it can also mean native land.
* [6:2–6] See note on Mt 13:54–58.
* [6:3] Is he not the carpenter?: no other gospel calls Jesus a carpenter. Some witnesses have “the carpenter’s son,” as in Mt 13:55. Son of Mary: contrary to Jewish custom, which calls a man the son of his father, this expression may reflect Mark’s own faith that God is the Father of Jesus (Mk 1:1, 11; 8:38; 13:32; 14:36). The brother of James…Simon: in Semitic usage, the terms “brother,” “sister” are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters; cf. Gn 14:16; 29:15; Lv 10:4. While one cannot suppose that the meaning of a Greek word should be sought in the first place from Semitic usage, the Septuagint often translates the Hebrew ’āh by the Greek word adelphos, “brother,” as in the cited passages, a fact that may argue for a similar breadth of meaning in some New Testament passages. For instance, there is no doubt that in v. 17, “brother” is used of Philip, who was actually the half-brother of Herod Antipas. On the other hand, Mark may have understood the terms literally; see also 3:31–32; Mt 12:46; 13:55–56; Lk 8:19; Jn 7:3, 5. The question of meaning here would not have arisen but for the faith of the church in Mary’s perpetual virginity.
* [6:4] A prophet is not without honor except…in his own house: a saying that finds parallels in other literatures, especially Jewish and Greek, but without reference to a prophet. Comparing himself to previous Hebrew prophets whom the people rejected, Jesus intimates his own eventual rejection by the nation especially in view of the dishonor his own relatives had shown him (Mk 3:21) and now his townspeople as well.
* [6:5] He was not able to perform any mighty deed there: according to Mark, Jesus’ power could not take effect because of a person’s lack of faith. (Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Eileen Wirth (2018) reflects on how often God selects unlikely messengers from unpromising places for important tasks. Change “prophet” to “saint” and consider the following.
The wounded Basque soldier who went to elementary school in his 30’s after finding God then started the greatest Catholic religious order.
The teen-age girl who had a vision that God sent her to save France.
The peasant girl in the Pyrenees Mountains and the three peasant children in Portugal to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared with important messages for the world.
The farmer’s son from the village of Sotto il Monte, Italy who became our greatest modern pope or, if you prefer, the Polish army officer’s son who might also claim that title.
This list could go on but it seems that God often entrusts great deeds to people from obscure origins like the Holy Family’s. He also sends humbler prophets and saints to communities everywhere. Know any of them? (Wirth, 2024)
Don Schwager quotes “Distinguishing God's power and our faith,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"And perhaps, as in the case of metallic substances there exists in some a natural attraction toward some other thing, as in the magnet for iron, and in naphtha for fire, so there is an attraction in such faith toward the divine power according to what Jesus said: 'If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto this mountain, 'Move to another place,' and it shall be moved' (Matthew 17:20). Matthew and Mark wished to present the all-surpassing value of that divine power as a power that works even in those who do not believe. But they did not deny that grace works even more powerfully among those who have faith. So it seems to me that they accurately said not that the Lord did not do any mighty works because of their unbelief, but that he did not do many there (Mark 6:5). Mark does not flatly say that he could do no mighty work there at all, and stop at that point, but added, 'except that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them' (Mark 6:5). Thus the power in him overcame even their unbelief." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.19) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17 comments that David’s problem was lack of faith. Regretting his decision, he realized that he had forgotten that Israel’s true strength was in the Lord (2 Samuel 24:10). Time and time again, God had given them victory even when they had been vastly outnumbered. So David’s assessment of his people’s strength revealed a lack of trust in God, their protector.
Perhaps financial responsibilities or a busy calendar makes you feel as if you constantly have to monitor how much time and money you have available. You might be acting very responsibly, but even so, how much are you able to trust in the One who provides for all your needs? Or to what extent do you still believe that peace comes from your power to measure and control your resources?
Your heavenly Father cares as deeply about you as he did for the people of Israel. You can count on him.
“Lord, give me more faith to believe that you are in control. Help me to trust you in all things.” (Meditation on 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler discusses the reasoning behind rejecting trust in God by taking a census of the possible military resources in the population. This is a sin of arrogance, to which David seems to be particularly susceptible. Friar Jude notes the different understanding of “brothers and sisters” of Jesus by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians.
Brian McLaren introduces Gareth Higgins who grew up in Northern Ireland, a place haunted by cycles of violence and revenge.
These past few years, many of us have felt more concerned than ever about elected politics. It’s felt like we’ve been living in revolutionary times, but really revenge times, times where we pit ourselves against each other and where we believe that the only way to have peace and security in the world is to totally defeat our political opponents. But whether your team or my team was in charge or not, whether they occupy the positions of power in society, there’s only so much that elected politics can do.
If you want a better world, tell a better story, even about the possibility of embodying justice without vengeance. If you think that sounds naive, I hear you. But I’m coming from a society where we have enacted significant generational, structural change. We have radically reduced the use of violence and taken some tentative steps toward cooperating with each other rather than just flipping the tables so that the people who used to be oppressed are now the people doing the oppressing. The reason [justice without vengeance] doesn’t sound naive to me is because I’ve seen it work. (McLaren, 2024)
We ponder the actions and convictions that we count upon to navigate our journey and seek the guidance of the Spirit to conform our plans to Jesus' Way.
References
Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?1
McLaren, B. D. (2024, January 31). The Story of Revolution — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-story-of-revolution/
Meditation on 2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/01/31/885954/
Psalms, PSALM 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/32?1
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Marveled because of Their Unbelief. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jan31
2 Samuel, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2samuel/24?2
Wirth, E. (2024, January 31). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 31, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/013124.html
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