Leaders and Love

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate the role we play in building the Kingdom of God and our receptiveness to growth in our commitment to Jesus Way.

Seeding in Fertile Ground

The Reading from the Second Book of Samuel proclaims The Oracle of Nathan.

* [7:8–16] The message Nathan delivers to David, called the Dynastic Oracle, is prompted by David’s intention to build a house (i.e., a temple) for the Lord, like David’s own house (i.e., palace) of cedar. David is told, in effect, not to bother building a house for the Lord; rather, the Lord will make a house for him—a dynasty, the House of David. Not only will he have descendants (v. 12) who will sit upon the throne of Israel (v. 13), their rule will last forever (vv. 13, 16); and even if they transgress the Lord’s commands, the line of David will never be removed from kingship as Saul was (cf. 1 Sm 13; 15). The oracle establishes the Davidic king as standing in relationship to the Lord as a son to a father (v. 14; cf. Ps 2:7; 89:27). The Dynastic Oracle, with cognate texts in the Scriptures, is the basis for Jewish expectations of an anointed king (1 Sm 12:3, 5), son of David (Mt 21:9); cf. Acts 2:30; Heb 1:5.

* [7:13] He it is: Solomon, in the event.

* [7:16] The unconditional promise made here, and reflected in Ps 89:34–35, stands in contrast to the tradition in Ps 132:12, where the continuation of the line of David depends on their fidelity to the Lord; cf. also 1 Kgs 2:4; 6:12; 8:25. (2 Samuel, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 89 presents how the Davidic king became king of earthly kings.

* [Psalm 89] The community laments the defeat of the Davidic king, to whom God promised kingship as enduring as the heavens (Ps 89:2–5). The Psalm narrates how God became king of the divine beings (Ps 89:6–9) and how the Davidic king became king of earthly kings (Ps 89:20–38). Since the defeat of the king calls into question God’s promise, the community ardently prays God to be faithful to the original promise to David (Ps 89:39–52). (Psalms, PSALM 89 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus presents The Parable of the Sower.

* [4:1–34] In parables (Mk 4:2): see note on Mt 13:3. The use of parables is typical of Jesus’ enigmatic method of teaching the crowds (Mk 4:2–9, 12) as compared with the interpretation of the parables he gives to his disciples (Mk 4:10–25, 33–34) to each group according to its capacity to understand (Mk 4:9–11). The key feature of the parable at hand is the sowing of the seed (Mk 4:3), representing the breakthrough of the kingdom of God into the world. The various types of soil refer to the diversity of response accorded the word of God (Mk 4:4–7). The climax of the parable is the harvest of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold, indicating the consummation of the kingdom (Mk 4:8). Thus both the present and the future action of God, from the initiation to the fulfillment of the kingdom, is presented through this and other parables (Mk 4:26–29, 30–32).

* [4:1] By the sea: the shore of the Sea of Galilee or a boat near the shore (Mk 2:13; 3:7–8) is the place where Mark depicts Jesus teaching the crowds. By contrast the mountain is the scene of Jesus at prayer (Mk 6:46) or in the process of forming his disciples (Mk 3:13; 9:2).

* [4:3–8] See note on Mt 13:3–8.

* [4:11–12] These verses are to be viewed against their background in Mk 3:6, 22 concerning the unbelief and opposition Jesus encountered in his ministry. It is against this background that the distinction in Jesus’ method becomes clear of presenting the kingdom to the disbelieving crowd in one manner and to the disciples in another. To the former it is presented in parables and the truth remains hidden; for the latter the parable is interpreted and the mystery is partially revealed because of their faith; see notes on Mt 13:11 and Mt 13:13. (Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Edward Morse comments that all of us can use some spiritual weeding to root out the effects of sin, along with some organic matter to help break up the hardness wrought by our own stubbornness. These helps come to us through grace and divine mercy, but we must cooperate to bring them to fruition. The waters of our baptism start this process. In short, we need the Church. This is not a quick fix from a self-help guru, but a lifetime project of growth in love. Our choices matter in this world, but the end result may not be ours to determine.

As St. Thomas indicates, the divine legacy prepared for us is more wondrous than the meager results we can muster, even with the greatest of skill and diligence in collaborating with the grace and mercy of God. The redeeming love of God works wonders that we barely understand or grasp, despite intense study and learning. We live, and will live, in the Kingdom of our Lord, which has no end. Thanks be to God. (Morse, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Why does this generation seek a sign,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"As the sower fairly and indiscriminately disperses seed broadly over all his field, so does God offer gifts to all,11 making no distinction between rich and poor, wise and foolish, lazy or diligent, brave or cowardly. He addresses everyone, fulfilling his part, although knowing the results beforehand.... Why then, tell me, was so much of the seed lost? Not through the sower, but through the ground that received it-meaning the soul that did not listen.... Even though more seed would be lost than survive, the disciples were not to lose heart. For it is the way of the Lord never to stop sowing the seed, even when he knows beforehand that some of it will not respond. But how can it be reasonable, one asks, to sow among the thorns, or on the rock, or alongside the road? Maybe it is not reasonable insofar as it pertains only to seeds and earth, for the bare rock is not likely to turn into tillable soil, and the roadside will remain roadside and the thorns, thorns. But in the case of free wills and their reasonable instruction, this kind of sowing is praiseworthy. For the rocky soul can in time turn into rich soil. Among souls, the wayside may come no longer to be trampled by all that pass, and may become a fertile field. The thorns may be destroyed and the seed enjoy full growth. For had this not been impossible, this sower would not have sown. And even if no change whatever occurs in the soul, this is no fault of the sower, but of those who are unwilling to be changed. He has done his part." (excerpt from GOSPEL OF ST. MATTHEW, HOMILY 44.5.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

 The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Samuel 7:4-17 comments that David had lost sight of one central truth: living for the Lord is not all about what you’re going to do for him. David didn’t have to keep proving himself to God, and he certainly didn’t have to keep producing something grand in order for God to keep loving him.

Yes, God wants every one of us to give him our all, and sometimes that calls for great sacrifices and grand gestures. But sometimes it means stepping back and letting him do the work that we cannot do. Sometimes it means just giving him some of our time in silent adoration or quietly sitting in his presence. As David ultimately learned, God wants our hearts, regardless of how much we accomplish for him. That’s the “all” he truly treasures.

“Lord, teach me how to give you my all, even when I am ‘doing’ nothing for you.” (Meditation on 2 Samuel 7:4-17, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that 2 Samuel is the discourse between David and Nathan who tells David that the Lord will give him a House, a dynasty. This is new for the history of Israel. From now on the rulers are of the Davidic Dynasty. But did David shed too much blood? David is perhaps a little bit too arrogant? We accept that God controls everything. A parable of the Sower, one of few in Mark, is all about the great commandment to love God with our whole heart, soul, and strength. In Jesus time, the heart is where you think, by not examining their faith, they have no root and they drift away.The path is the soul in times of persecution, they lose faith. Strength refers to loving God with their treasure and  physical goods. On good soil the Word will grow. The passage referring to Jesus who came and the people looked and did not perceive is from Isaiah. The simplest truth is that if they don’t understand, it is their choice. Friar Jude reminds us they have to accept or reject the truth.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, identifies some of the paradoxes we encounter when reading the Bible. We are always ready to be surprised and graced by the Unfamiliar, which is why it is called “faith” to begin with. It might at first feel scary, new, or even exciting, but if we stay with the unfolding texts, we will have the courage to know them also as our own deepest hopes or intuitions. Such is the dance between outer authority and inner authority, the great Tradition and inner experience. This is the balance we seek.

It takes all the Bible—and sometimes all our lives—to get beyond the punitiveness and pettiness that we project onto God and that we harbor within ourselves. We have to keep connecting the dots of God’s wisdom and grace. Remember, how we get there determines where we will arrive. The process itself is important and gives authority to the outcome. The Bible’s “three-steps-forward, two-steps-back” texts give us a deeper urgency to go forward and a deeper understanding when we get there.

I love the clear continuities between the two Testaments and clearly see Jesus as a Jewish man and rabbi, who brilliantly gave us a wonderful lens by which to love the Jewish tradition and keep moving forward with it in an inclusive way (which became its child, Christianity).

The ecumenical character and future of Christianity become rather obvious when understood in this way. We cannot avoid one another any longer, and we do so only at our own loss (1 Corinthians 12:12–30), and the loss of the gospel. (Rohr, n.d.)

We exhort the Spirit to guide our mission to sow the seeds of our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in expressing our Love in our thoughts, response to persecution, and generosity with our talents.

References

Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/4?1 

Meditation on 2 Samuel 7:4-17. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/28/1488779/ 

Morse, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-january-28-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 89 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/89?4 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-pattern-from-the-start/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Taught People Using Parables. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Samuel, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 28, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2samuel/7?4 

Lifestyle Forgiveness and Faith

The texts from the Roman Catholoic Lectionary today invite us to assess the expressions of faith in our actions that work with the Spirit to transform our environment.

Faith to Transform

The reading from the Letter to Titus prescribes his mission in Crete.

* [1:5–9] This instruction on the selection and appointment of presbyters, substantially identical with that in 1 Tm 3:1–7 on a bishop (see note there), was aimed at strengthening the authority of Titus by apostolic mandate; cf. Ti 2:15. In Ti 1:5, 7 and Acts 20:17, 28, the terms episkopos and presbyteros (“bishop” and “presbyter”) refer to the same persons. Deacons are not mentioned in Titus. See also note on Phil 1:1. (Titus, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)

Psalm 24 is a prayer on entrance into the Temple.

* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10).

* [24:4–5] Lit., “the one whose hands are clean.” The singular is used for the entire class of worshipers. (Psalms, PSALM 24, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke warns about temptations to sin and shares some sayings of Jesus.

* [17:3] Be on your guard: the translation takes Lk 17:3a as the conclusion to the saying on scandal in Lk 17:1–2. It is not impossible that it should be taken as the beginning of the saying on forgiveness in Lk 17:3b–4. (Luke, CHAPTER 17, n.d.)

Gladyce Janky comments that today’s reading offers guidance for growing faith and trust.

Finally, I hear in this reading that increasing my faith is more than just asking Jesus to transform me instantly.  Faith and trust unfold over my life as I accept God’s invitation to embrace total surrender, which Ignatius prayed for in the Suscipe.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,

my memory, my understanding,

and my entire will,

All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace,

that is enough for me.

May we each seek to grow our faith beyond the size of a mustard seed. (Janky, 2022)

Don Schwager quotes “To increase faith is to strengthen it by the Holy Spirit,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"They ask, 'Add faith to us.' They do not ask simply for faith, for perhaps you might imagine them to be without faith. They rather ask Christ for an addition to their faith and to be strengthened in faith. Faith partly depends on us and partly is the gift of the divine grace. The beginning of faith depends on us and our maintaining confidence and faith in God with all our power. The confirmation and strength necessary for this comes from the divine grace. For that reason, since all things are possible with God, the Lord says that all things are possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23). The power that comes to us through faith is of God. Knowing this, blessed Paul also says in the first epistle to the Corinthians, 'For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, and to another faith in the same Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:8). You see that he has placed faith also in the catalogue of spiritual graces. The disciples requested that they might receive this from the Savior, contributing also what was of themselves. By the descent upon them of the Holy Spirit, he granted it to them after the fulfillment of the dispensation. Before the resurrection, their faith was so feeble that they were liable even to the charge of being 'little of faith'." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILIES 113-16) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 17:1-6 comments that we may see the Lord do some amazing things in answer to our prayers, and this can surely increase our faith in him. And yet we all know that sometimes his answers to our prayers look very different than what we had expected or hoped for. This doesn’t mean that he hasn’t heard us, of course. Rather, because he is a great God, his ways are beyond our ways (see Isaiah 55:9). When we choose to leave the outcome of our prayers in his hands, we are giving our faith a chance to grow. We are choosing to believe that he is working, even when we can’t see it.

So let’s look at that little mustard seed of faith as a seed of trust as well, one that will grow in us as we continue to walk with the Lord. When we pray, let’s look to God’s greatness, not our own lack of faith. Let’s also place our needs and desires in his hands. As we do, we may see our faith increasing. Maybe not enough to cast a mulberry tree into the sea, but perhaps in some surprising and amazing ways nonetheless.

“Lord Jesus, with the little faith I do have, I place my trust in you.” (Meditation on Luke 17:1-6, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the developed ecclesiology in the Letter to Titus that points to the Pastoral Letters as written in the name of Paul. Jesus draws attention to those who cause others, children or anawim, to sin by their bad example. Friar Jude reminds us that the perfect number, seven, indicates that we have not limit on the number of times we forgive others.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on how his commitment to Christ and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit have continually helped him recognize God in other traditions.

And yet, at age fourteen, I was sent to study with the Franciscans in Cincinnati, Ohio, and they gave me a very ecumenical theological education.

One of the best courses I had was on the Hebrew Scriptures, which gave me a great love for Judaism… In 1969, when I was sent as a deacon to the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico, …Indigenous peoples here had contemplative prayer long before we Franciscans ever appeared…. Starting in the 1960s, our increased interaction with Eastern religions in general, and Buddhism in particular, helped us recognize and rediscover our own very ancient Christian contemplative tradition. The Sufis’ deep love of mysticism, especially as expressed by their poets Rumi and Hafiz, often captures the stirrings of my own heart….My latest discovery was really Hinduism, which is considered the oldest world religion. In the early 1980s, I gave a retreat in Nepal; between talks I would just walk the old streets and walk into temples and try to remain invisible…. What do we think they’re bowing to except God, the Mystery?

Like the wind, the Spirit blows where it will (see John 3:8). (Rohr, 2022)

We reflect on the guidance of the Spirit on our spiritual journey as we petition God that our faith advance the transformation of the lives we encounter.

References

Janky, G. (2022, November 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/110722.html 

Luke, CHAPTER 17. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/17?1 

Meditation on Luke 17:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/11/07/528477/ 

Psalms, PSALM 24. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/24?1 

Rohr, R. (2022, November 7). Learning from Others — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/learning-from-others-2022-11-07/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lord Jesus Increase Our Faith. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=nov7 

Titus, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 7, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/titus/1?1