Promise Fulfilled

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/012218.cfm) reminds me that God keeps his promises.

The readings last Tuesday reminded us that Samuel anointed David, the youngest and a simple shepherd. David was anointed because of his heart. He was told he would be king. But he did not immediately become king. In face, he fought first. He served the king first. And he even feared for his life when the King Saul wanted to kill him. Doesn't seem like a king's path, right? However, Last Friday’s readings reminded us that eventually, even King Saul believed that David would be king. Now, we see David became King. That is how faithful God is.

God fulfils his promises.

David was thirty years old when he became king,
and he reigned for forty years:
seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah,
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem
over all Israel and Judah

David’s life was not without challenges. Yes, he was chosen and anointed to be king. However, he still experienced hardships. Trials. Problems. He saved the people, but after, King Saul wanted to kill him. He lost a dear friend in Jonathan, and someone he looks up to in King Saul. However, David was faithful to God. He did not give up. He had faith in God. And now we saw God fulfilled his promise, his anointing, that David would be king, and that the Lord was with him in his life. In the gospel, we see Jesus having challenges as he was doing God's will. But he pressed on, he had faith in God, he was faithful to God and to his mission. and God kept his promise.

We know God loves us and wants the best for us. We know his promise that He has great plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). Life will not always be easy and we will have challenges, but we should always hang on to God’s promise, and have faith that one day, God’s promise will be fulfilled.

May we always have faith in God and his promises. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another week. Thank you for the reminder as I start the week. Lord, sorry for the times I lose faith in you. Sorry for the times I get weak. sorry for the times I get disheartened when faced with challenges, even if I know you have great plans for me. Increase my faith. May I see your hand amidst all the distractions. I will trust in you and your promises for me no matter what, for I know they will always come true. In your perfect time. In your perfect way. Amen. 

Blessed week!

In Christ,

-g-

January 22, 2018

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Lectionary: 317

Reading 1 2 SM 5:1-7, 10

All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:
"Here we are, your bone and your flesh.
In days past, when Saul was our king,
it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back.
And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel
and shall be commander of Israel.'"
When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron,
King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD,
and they anointed him king of Israel.
David was thirty years old when he became king,
and he reigned for forty years:
seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah,
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem
over all Israel and Judah.

Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem
against the Jebusites who inhabited the region.
David was told, "You cannot enter here:
the blind and the lame will drive you away!"
which was their way of saying, "David cannot enter here."
But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David.

David grew steadily more powerful,
for the LORD of hosts was with him.

Responsorial Psalm PS 89:20, 21-22, 25-26

R. (25a) My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
Once you spoke in a vision,
and to your faithful ones you said:
“On a champion I have placed a crown;
over the people I have set a youth.”
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
“I have found David, my servant;
with my holy oil I have anointed him,
That my hand may be always with him,
and that my arm may make him strong.”
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.
“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,
and through my name shall his horn be exalted.
I will set his hand upon the sea,
his right hand upon the rivers.”
R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.

Alleluia SEE 2 TM 1:10

R.  Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R.  Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 3:22-30

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.