Week of Prayer for Christian Unity   Day 2 

『Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?』(Mt 2:2)

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

１Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51*

Saul told David,

“You cnnot fight with this Philistine for you are still young, whereas this man has been a warrior from his youth.” David continued, “Yahweh, who delivered me from the paws of lions and bears, will deliver me from the hands of the Philistine.”

Saul then told David, “Go and may Yahweh be with you!” David got rid of all this armor, took his staff, picked up five smooth stones from the brook and dropped them inside his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he drew near to the Philistine.

The Philistine moved forward, closing in on David, his shield-bearer in front of him. When he saw that David was only a lad, (he was of fresh complexion and handsome) he despised him. Cursing David by his gods, he continued, “Come and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field!”

David answered the Philistine, “You have come against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you with Yahweh, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. Yahweh will deliver you this day into my hands and I will strike you down and cut off your head.(…)”

No sooner had the Philistine moved to attack him than David rushed to the battleground. Putting his hand into his bag, he took out a stone, slung it and struck the Philistine on the forhead; it penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground.

David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone. He rushed forward, stood over him, took the Philistine’s sword and slew him by cutting off his head.(….)

 

Ps 144:1b,2, 9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

Mark 3:1-6

Again Jesus entered the synagogue. A man who had a paralyzed hand was there  and some people watched Jesus: Would he heal the man on the sabbath? If he did they could accuse him.

 Jesus said to the man with the para­lyzed hand, “Stand here in the center.”   Then he asked them, “What does the Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?” But they were silent.

 Then Jesus looked around at them with anger and deep sadness because they had closed their minds. And he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was healed.   But as soon as the Pharisees left, they met with He­rod’s supporters, looking for a way to destroy Jesus.

 

Solid Faith and Liquid Hearts

Looking across the two readings and the responsorial verse, we find three hard things: a stone that kills Goliath, a rock that provides stability, and hearts that are hardened. Solidity is a virtue only when it is rooted on the true rock of our lives – Ｇod.

He becomes the deepest foundation from where we can shape our responses and reach out, as demanded by the needs of the times. David was so rooted, which directed his decisions and actions.

However, the Pharisees were solid in the wrong place – in their own hearts which only got closed in on itself. Had they been grounded in the rock of God, their hearts would have found a joyous flexibility to reach out and raise the paralyzed hand of their brother.

We need rock-like faith, but liquid hearts that can melt in compassion for the other.