In today’s readings, we see our Lord in a number of ways frustrated with our lack of trust in him. How often does he plead with us and give us signs and proofs of his providence and of his protection and care? And yet we turn our back on him, and we look the other way.
In today’s first reading, King David, the one chosen by God from all of his brothers to lead his people Israel, "says to Joab and the leaders of the army who were with him, tour all the tribes in Israel from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people that I may know their number. Joab then reported to the king the number of the people registered in Israel, 800,000 men fit for military service in Judah, 500,000. But afterward, however, David regretted having numbered the people, and said to them, said to the Lord, I have sinned grievously in what I have done."
My brothers and sisters, where is the sin in this reading, in this situation? It’s not in the fact that David took a census, but it’s in the motives why he took the census. What drove him on to make this decision to count all of these people who were fit for military. Because he wanted to see his own strength. He was relying on his own strength, on his own numbers. And it’s like he completely left God out of the equation. Which is crazy, right? Especially for a guy like King David who was so anointed and blessed by God, right, who with a stone was given power by God to destroy a giant.
Does it make sense, then, to not have trust? Complete trust in the Lord? To take a census so that you can help the people, that’s not a sin, right? So it’s in taking the census and showing God that his trust had dissipated, that David committed the sin.
Now, the Lord offers him three options for his penance. He offers him a famine. He offers him an exile to escape his enemies, and he offers him a pestilence. And David is smart enough to choose one of those penances that don’t involve the hand of man, who can be ruthless, but he wants the penance from God, whom he knows, although he is just, he is also merciful. In fact, this is what he says to Gad, the prophet who delivers this threefold offer to David. Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful. But let me not fall by the hand of men, my dear brothers and sisters.
Trust in the Lord. Place our faith in his providence, not in our might, in our physical attributes, disjointed from him like Samson. Samson was a strong man, but that strength came from God. And as soon as Samson forgot that, God retracted his strength and he became weak.
In today’s gospel, our Lord goes to his own native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. Now notice, many were astonished. Didn’t say all who heard him were astonished. In other words, for some people it’s just another good preacher. Just another good man. They weren’t seeing the full impact of what was happening before their eyes, that the Lord God of Hosts was standing in their midst in physical form.
Now we too, my brothers and sisters, the Lord God of Hosts is with us in the tabernacle. The Lord God of Hosts is always with us in that he humbles himself within that tiny little host, and he gives himself to us. Many of us are astonished and shocked at the humility of this Eucharistic presence, but many of us couldn’t care less. Don’t even go to church. Don’t even go to Mass. Don’t pray. Don’t make an effort to receive his most precious body, blood, soul, and divinity.
And therefore we have to ask the question, wherein lies our trust? Wherein lies our happiness? Wherein lies the meaning of life to us, if not in God? My brothers and sisters, let us pray for all our family and friends and those who have strayed from reason and from the truth, and from all that can bring them true and lasting happiness.
In fact, we spoke about happiness in the Sunday past when we spoke about the Beatitudes, happiness that consists in doing the will of the Father. Even if you go through pain, if you’re doing the will of the Father, you will retain that happiness that the world cannot give.
May we, like our Lord Jesus at the end of his earthly journey, say to our loving Father, it is accomplished. It is finished. Now, may I come to you, who has loved me from all eternity. Amen.
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