We had been hearing the story of David from the 1st and 2nd books of Samuel for several weeks. Today, in our last readings about David in this cycle of readings in daily Mass, we hear from the book of Sirach in the Old Testament. That book contains a section which praises the great leaders of Israel’s history, from which we hear of David today.
We know that David was an historical king in Ancient Israel, but just like the stories of our heroes that get passed down in our society, we might wonder if part of the story of David contain myth and legend rather than fact. For example, we heard Sirach extolling David’s courage, stating that he battled lions and bears, whether that really happened or not. David had a great reputation for courage and bravery, but the accounts of his flaws, weaknesses, and mistakes are also found in Sacred Scripture as well. What stand out in our reading from Sirach today is not just David’s strengths, but also his humanness and his love for God. All of us can also turn away from God and make mistakes, but like David, we are called to repent, to receive forgiveness, and to turn back to God. We can turn away from God due to our own will and our own desires, straying from the path of faith. God’s love for his people calls out to us today in the story of David. God also calls out to us today in the Eucharist, as he provides us food and nourishment for our journey. God calls out to us in a special way in the devotion we have to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which we celebrate on the first Friday of each month and which we will honor in the litany at the end of Mass today. God always calls us back to him in repentance and conversion. He forgives us for our sins in our contrition when we turn back to him and make amends. In the story of David today, let us find solace and comfort in God’s love and compassion for us.
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