From the time he is introduced in the Old Testament, King
David is an epitome of virtue. His
humble, yet powerful faith is able to defeat the mighty Goliath. David is anointed King of Israel when the
first King, Saul falls to grave wickedness.
David often displays wisdom for administration, courage against Israel’s
enemies, a spirit of cooperation with the Holy Will of God, an undeniable propensity
to worship as he joyfully dances before the ark of the covenant. He is a model
for his people.
Yet, today we hear how David succumbs to sinful lust. David's
lustful look at Bathsheba resulted in adultery, the murder of Bathsheba's
husband Uriah, and the death of the baby conceived in this adulterous union. King
David performs one evil act after another as he schemes to cover up an initial
transgression with other transgressions even more hideous than the first.
Sometimes our leaders fail us, and their wickedness is disastrous,
not just for themselves, but for their whole nation. Sometimes the wickedness
of our leaders is so great, we wonder if God has abandoned us.
This story of the sinful king is contrasted with two
parables of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God begins
small, almost undetectable. So small in fact that evil will seem to flourish
while God appears dormant.
As the immorality of our own culture of death flourishes:
the abortion industry, the undermining of marriage, cohabitation, divorce,
violence, drug addiction, government corruption, there are many who have
abandoned belief in God. Especially when evil touches our own life, we are
tempted to doubt God’s providence, or even God’s existence.
Yet, the Christian faith has always been realistic that we
do live in a fallen world and it is up to us to plead God’s mercy as we did in
the Psalm today: “have mercy on us O God, for we have sinned”, and to allow the
kingdom of God to grow, often in hidden ways, among us.
For there have been abortionists who recognized the terrible
error of their ways, there have been addicts who have found freedom through
faith, there have been corrupt government leaders who have repented and given
their lives over to spreading the kingdom of God. Their conversions often came about very
slowly, like the growth of the mustard seed, but they were in answer to our prayers
and from our witness to the truth.
So let us not grow discouraged in the face of evil: God’s
kingdom is often built very slowly, brick by brick, and in very small and
hidden ways, through the prayers and witness of ordinary, but faithful
Christians like us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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