SATURDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
- Dn. Prosper (Njoroge)
- Jan 29, 2022
- 3 min read
29TH JANUARY 2022
SOCIAL INJUSTICE AND SELFISHNESS
Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
The first reading of today teaches a beautiful lesson for each and every one of us. It talks about the fall, the sin and selfishness of David, the famous leader of Israelite peoples. It is about the injustice and abuse to his neighbour, the poor man Uriah.
He was the king, the ruler of the whole country. Everybody acknowledges him and has to pay him respect. He was well respected and listened to by everyone. As a king he could do everything he wanted and everybody has to do what he wanted.
He fell in a terrible sin. He took the wife of a poor man Uriah. Her name was Bathsheba. And what made things worse was, this grave sin led him to another sin, murder. When the husband knew what David did, he wanted to cry for justice and needed his wife to be back. David took her to be his wife and killed Uriah so that the situation would be calm.
That was the abuse and injustice David did. And he was not aware of the evil he did. Only the intervention of the prophet Nathan that made him realizing the evil and the great sin he did. After realizing that, what he did was not good at all and was just an abuse of his subject, he converted and asked for God’s mercy and forgiveness. We can see his prayer of repentance in the psalm 50.
What lessons can we learn from this story and life of David.
First of all, what David did should not lead us to harsh judgment nor condemnation. Though he was a chosen king and anointed by God; he was also human being like all of us. He can fall to sin and to human and fleshly desire. Falling into Sin is part of human frailty.
The second lesson we can learn is that this can happen to each and every one of us. We, purposely or not realizing, might fall into abusing the poor and the weak around us. We might use our power, authority, money, glory to mistreat them. They may be our neighbours or our close collaborators. What happen to David should teach us not to fall into such worldly values and trap.
The third lesson we can learn from the story of David is about the danger of sin. Sin is evil. Sin leads to another sin. David took the wife of Uriah and to cover up his deeds, he killed also Uriah. One sin brings and leads us to another more dangerous sin.
Therefore, we have to be careful and very prudent in our life.
The forth lesson is about the role of the Nathan, the prophet to make David aware of his sin. We need someone else to make us aware that we are not in a good path. We might not realize what happen or what going to happen to us. We need peoples’ help to come back to God, that is conversion, therefore, we need to be sensitive to one another and help one another in this journey of ours.
Lastly is about the Goodness of God. God is so wonderful and Patient. He remains faithful to his words and promise. Though David sinned and wronged God, He remains in his Love for his servant. God is always ready to forgive us no matter how grave and dangerous our sins are. God does not look at our sins, but our heart’s desire to be closer to Him. God hates sin but loves the sinner.
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