Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

 Lectionary: 327

He added beauty to the feasts and solemnized the seasons of each year
So that when the Holy Name was praised, before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.
The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever....

Born and raised in a critical culture that habitually looks for faults, it is easy to hear today's paean of praise for King David with an ever-so-slightly cynical overtone: "yes he was a great hero but...." 

To which the faithful might respond, "Yes, we know he was a great sinner. But you're missing the point." 

When David admitted and confessed his sin, the Lord forgave him and exalted his strength forever. He was a worthy ruler of God's people, a capable administrator, a conscientious servant-leader, a brilliant military commander, and an admirable warrior. He remembered his humble origins, knew himself as a sinner, admitted he was wrong, and repented with characteristic enthusiasm. 

More importantly, King David was the ancestor of Jesus who often referred to himself as a son of man, but responded generously when he was addressed as "Son of David." 

When we gather as a church to sing God's praises, and to remember his Marvelous Works, we can leave our cynicism at the door. Don't come in with it. We're not here to quarrel or quibble, we're here to thank God for the wonderful things he does for man. 

And no, we don't need to hear your particular concern or your separate opinion. Forget yourself and your opinions and your reservations for a while. Call it penance if you like, and a sacrifice, but we don't need to hear about your heroic virtue either.

Like the choice fat of the sacred offerings,

            so was David in Israel.

He made sport of lions as though they were kids,

            and of bears, like lambs of the flock.

As a youth he slew the giant

            and wiped out the people’s disgrace....

We can reflect with great profit to our faith on the story of the shepherd boy, the least of Jesse's sons, whom God chose to succeed Saul. He was deemed by the LORD as a worthy ancestor of Jesus. Which other heroic king of which ancient city do we remember from 1000 BC? All are forgotten except by scrupulous historians, because their powerful nations and fabled cities vanished in the dust a long time ago; and our faith in God perdures. 

I didn't do that. You didn't do that. David didn't do that! God did it, and we thank God for He has not forgotten us. And by his grace we have not forgotten Him. 

To sing the praises of Abraham, David, Jesus, Mary, or any of the saints is to praise God; and you can leave your cynicism at home, in the closet, or under a bed with the dust of the earth.