Reading 1
2 Sm 12:1-7a, 10-17
The LORD sent Nathan to David, and when he came to him,
Nathan said: “Judge this case for me!
In a certain town there were two men, one rich, the other poor.
The rich man had flocks and herds in great numbers.
But the poor man had nothing at all
except one little ewe lamb that he had bought.
He nourished her, and she grew up with him and his children.
She shared the little food he had
and drank from his cup and slept in his bosom.
She was like a daughter to him.
Now, the rich man received a visitor,
but he would not take from his own flocks and herds
to prepare a meal for the wayfarer who had come to him.
Instead he took the poor man’s ewe lamb
and made a meal of it for his visitor.”
David grew very angry with that man and said to him:
“As the LORD lives, the man who has done this merits death!
He shall restore the ewe lamb fourfold
because he has done this and has had no pity.”
Then Nathan said to David: “You are the man!
Thus says the LORD God of Israel:
‘The sword shall never depart from your house,
because you have despised me
and have taken the wife of Uriah to be your wife.’
Thus says the LORD:
‘I will bring evil upon you out of your own house.
I will take your wives while you live to see it,
and will give them to your neighbor.
He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight.
You have done this deed in secret,
but I will bring it about in the presence of all Israel,
and with the sun looking down.’”
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed,
the child born to you must surely die.”
Then Nathan returned to his house.
The LORD struck the child that the wife of Uriah had borne to David,
and it became desperately ill.
David besought God for the child.
He kept a fast, retiring for the night
to lie on the ground clothed in sackcloth.
The elders of his house stood beside him
urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not,
nor would he take food with them.
Gospel
Mk 4:35-41
On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind,
and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
Meditation: 2 Samuel 12:1-7,10-17
What a storm David found himself in! When he first glimpsed Bathsheba, he probably didn’t anticipate the turbulent seas that would erupt.
But as the days and weeks progressed, the consequences of his sin grew, and David ended up in over his head. First, he committed adultery and took Bathsheba to live as his wife, betraying her marriage. Then he compounded the sin by his attempts to deceive Uriah, and arranged for him to be killed in battle.
Finally, the Lord sent his prophet Nathan to David. God’s words, spoken through Nathan, cut through David’s foggy conscience and brought him peace as he repented. Yes, there were serious consequences to David’s actions. Yes, many people were hurt. Yes, it probably took a long time for healing. But God did forgive David. No matter how terrible the sins, God didn’t turn his back on David.
We may find ourselves in our own tempest. Our sin may seem so overpowering, and its consequences may make us feel trapped. Maybe we have hurt people and can’t find a way out. Maybe we have even compounded the matter by trying to lie our way out. But just as Jesus spoke the words to calm the storm and just as God spoke to David, he speaks to us. He wants us to turn to him. He promises that he will forgive us. His mercy is available to us, even when there is significant fallout from our actions. Perhaps it will take a while for relationships to heal or trust to be regained. But God will give us the grace to see it through.
If you are in a tough situation, why not bring it to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation? It’s a wonderful place to hear him speak to you: “I absolve you of your sins; go in peace.” Jesus offers each of us the opportunity to start again, to acknowledge what we have done, and to receive his mercy. And when we are forgiven, we are also strengthened to restore what we have injured.
“Lord, sometimes it’s hard for me to hear your voice. I feel as if I’m in a boat being swamped by the violent waves. Help me to hear you and respond! Bring stillness to my troubled heart, and restore me. Lord, I believe in your mercy. Help my unbelief!”
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