LECTIO: 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
When King David was settled in his palace,
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?'
"It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever."
and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
he said to Nathan the prophet,
"Here I am living in a house of cedar,
while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
Nathan answered the king,
"Go, do whatever you have in mind,
for the LORD is with you."
But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:
Should you build me a house to dwell in?'
"It was I who took you from the pasture
and from the care of the flock
to be commander of my people Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went,
and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.
And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
I will fix a place for my people Israel;
I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place
without further disturbance.
Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.
I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The LORD also reveals to you
that he will establish a house for you.
And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,
I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,
and I will make his kingdom firm.
I will be a father to him,
and he shall be a son to me.
Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;
your throne shall stand firm forever."
STUDIUM:
This reading recalls God's covenant with David--promising to carry on his line, forever. Jesus is the fulfillment of this promise. This is the first time the prophet Nathan is mentioned. Prophets communicated God's plans to the kings. Many kings rejected the plans but God still sent prophets. In these verses, God is saying that He doesn't want David to build Him a house. David accepted God's "no." Note that David's request was good, but God said "no."
MEDITATIO:
Why didn't God want David to build a house for Him? God never gave a reason. David's son, Solomon builds the house.
The important lesson for me is that God sometimes says, "no," even when the request is a good one. I need to accept God's plans, like David. God gives us other things. David was promised a dynasty. Jesus is a Son of David.*
The important lesson for me is that God sometimes says, "no," even when the request is a good one. I need to accept God's plans, like David. God gives us other things. David was promised a dynasty. Jesus is a Son of David.*
ORATIO:
Lord, give me understanding and wisdom to accept Your "no's," to me. I need to remember that when You say "no," we will get something better.
CONTEMPLATIO:
May Your Will be mine.
RESOLUTIO:
For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Rembrandt
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