4th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Tuesday - Jesus enters our misery and brings new life

 There is an old Irish saying that "old sins cast long shadows." In other words, Sin has consequences. In the readings from Samuel, we’ve been hearing about the consequences of David’s sins in his own family.

David's sins of adultery and murder reverberated beyond his relationship with Bathsheba. His sins affected his entire family as his son and heir followed his example of sexual sin by defiling his own sister, Tamar. 

David's failure to give his daughter justice created a resentment that festered in her brother Absalom until he sought revenge against both his brother and his father. Absalom murdered his brother and became next in line to the throne.

Yesterday’s reading detailed how David had to flee Jerusalem when the loyalty of the people was transferred to Absalom. The consequences of David’s sin rippled into the life of the nation, and David was cursed by his own people, they threw stones and dirt at him as he passed by.

Today, we read how David’s servants murdered Absalom. And even though Absalom was seeking to kill David, the death of his son struck him to the heart. Sin has consequences, in our families and to our nation.

In the Gospel, we read of another child who had died, not the son of a king, but the daughter of a synagogue official. At her apparent passing, there was weeping and commotion much like David’s own weeping in the first reading. And Jesus enters into this grief-filled scene, and restores the life of young girl. 

Considering these two readings side by side, we see a powerful parallel. Sin, and the consequences of sin, namely, disease and death bring us misery. But Jesus enters into this miserable state of ours and brings new life. We may not be able to avoid the misery brought about by our own sins. But Jesus enters into our misery and brings new life. 

The Gospel passage also foreshadows how those who die in Christ will be raised to new life in the resurrection. But notice, how Jesus brings healing as a result of the pleas of the synagogue official.

The Lord hears the cry of the poor. The Lord hears the prayers we offer for the sick, for family members who have gone astray. And we need to persist in our prayers for those in need. But also, recall, that we are anointed Christians, and that the Lord wishes to bring healing, relief, a new life, through us. We must respond to the cries of the poor, entering into the misery of others, as the chosen instruments the Lord wishes to use to bring about his glorious will, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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To God the Father Almighty we direct the prayers of our heart for the needs and salvation of humanity and the good of His faithful ones.

For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief.

For ourselves and our own community, that the Lord may graciously receive us as a sacrifice acceptable to himself.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.