Have
mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my
offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
Today’s
responsorial psalm deserves a homily. King David is supposed to be the author
of all the psalms and this one especially has the sound of his voice. It was
written, as the second verse tells us parenthetically, “…when Nathan the prophet came to him after his affair with Bathsheba.”
David may be the first true
penitent in history. Certainly, this psalm describes the mysterious heart of
penance. Abraham was the father of faith and
the Book of Genesis recounts some of his failings. Moses too, as great as he was, also
had certain shortcomings. These two with David are the great triumvirate of
the Old Testament. All three represent the nation; but David also appears as a historical person,
a very fallible human being whose penchant for violence and weakness for women
are all too obvious. We see nothing of such failings in Abraham and Moses.
David’s genius is his passionate
love of God. He needs to be reminded of that love, as we all do; and God provides
a reminder in the person of Nathan. David remembers that he was the
least of his household, a mere boy when Samuel anointed him to be the next
king. There was certainly nothing about the boy’s appearance, education, wealth
or family to indicate he should be the king.
He knows
enough of warfare to appreciate God’s protection and guidance. His surviving so
many skirmishes and battles was not by accident or good luck. God was with him
as his “buckler and shield.” And he knows that kings usually don’t die of old
age surrounded by their friends; he still needs God’s constant protection from
assassination.
He also
remembers King Saul’s fate, madness. David is as good a soldier as Saul, and an equally competent
leader. He is haunted by the specter of Saul’s insane jealousy. When Saul lost God’s favor he lost his
mind, and so David prayed, “Do not drive me
from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit.”
David will finally be honored
with a most amazing promise. God will maintain his house, that is his kingdom,
forever. Can the living appreciate how long forever is? Many of our
contemporaries think time will end very soon. Perhaps David
and his people thought the same thing. Three thousand years have passed, and
how many kingdoms, nations, and empires have fallen? And yet the kingdom
of David lives in the person of Jesus.
Why? Not because he was innocent but because he owned his sins.
Jesus will follow in his Father
David’s steps as he also takes up the cross
of penance. Although he did no sin and was utterly without guilt, he stands
with David his father and all his people in
their sins.
Christians also, as children of David
and disciples of Jesus, readily confess our sins
and thank God for the gift of penance.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.