FEBRUARY 1, 2020 Reading and Reflection

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FIRST READING 
I have sinned against the Lord.
A reading from the second Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 12:1-7a. 10-17)

In those days: The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”’ David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his house. And the LORD Struck  the  child  that Uriah’s  wife  bore  to David,  and  it became sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.
The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM  Psalm 51:12-13.14-15.16-17 (R. 12a)
R/. Create a pure heart for me, O God.

Create a pure heart for me, O God;
renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence;
take not your holy spirit from me. R/.

Restore in me the joy of your salvation;
sustain in me a willing spirit.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
that sinners may return to you. R/.

Rescue me from bloodshed,
O God, God of my salvation,
and then my tongue shall ring out your justice.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. R/.

ALLELUIA John 3: 16
Alleluia. God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son; that whoever believes in him should have eternal life. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 4:35-41)

On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”
The Gospel of the Lord.

Today’s Reflection
The sea was a symbol of chaos and the abode of unspeakable evil that man did not have control over. Scripturally, the complete reign of God according to Revelations 21:1 is that with the emergence of the new earth and new heaven, the sea will be no more. Jesus Christ subordinates the power of the sea by calming the storm. Hence, the disciples stand in awe of him asking each other ‘who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’ With Jesus in the boat of our life and family, stormy events could grow knowledge and trust of God in us. Being a follower of Christ does not exclude us from the gales and storms of life; rather, it raises us above it unharmed. The fears and anxieties of Jesus’ disciples were removed when they cried out to him. Hence, our faith in God who is able to save must move us to prayer when the storms of life arise. Pray!

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