Friday, January 27, 2012 (Weekday)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Whereas in the Lord's Prayer, we are bidden to ask for 'our daily bread,' the Holy Fathers of the Church all but unanimously teach that by these words must be understood, not so much that material bread which is the support of the body, as the Eucharistic bread, which ought to be our daily food.
-- Pope St. Pius X

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-10, 13-17(David and Bathsheba)
1 It happened, at the return of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.
2 It happened at evening, that David arose from off his bed, and walked on the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look on.
3 David send and inquired after the woman. One said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

4 David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.
5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
6 David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 When Uriah was come to him, David asked of him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.
8 David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king.
9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.
10 When they had told David, saying, Uriah didn’t go down to his house, David said to Uriah, Haven’t you come from a journey? why did you not go down to your house?
13 When David had called him, he ate and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.
14 It happened in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 He wrote in the letter, saying, Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire you from him, that he may be struck, and die.
16 It happened, when Joab kept watch on the city, that he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 The men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people, even of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
Psalms: Psalm 51:3-7, 10-11
3 For I know my transgressions. My sin is constantly before me.
4 Against you, and you only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in your sight; That you may be proved right when you speak, And justified when you judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me.
11 Don’t throw me from your presence, And don’t take your holy Spirit from me.
Gospel: Mark 4:26-34
(The Parable of the Growing Seed/ The Parable of the Mustard Seed)
26 He said, “The Kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn’t know how.
28 For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 He said, “How will we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
31 It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,
32 yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34 Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained all things.