Sunday

Galatians 7:11: Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Prayer:  May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Monday

**Practical Commentary this week

2 Kings 7… DAVID, as he had done when only a simple shepherd-boy, composed Psalms and Canticles in honour of the Most High, and conducted himself in all things according to the holy will of God. Wherefore the Lord blessed him and not only favoured all his undertakings, but promised him that one of his descendants should rule the whole world and sit upon a throne more lasting than the heavens.

He furthermore endowed him with the gift of prophecy. David expresses in lofty and sublime language the eternal relationship existing between the Father and the Son: “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” He foreshadows the boundless dominion which was to be the inheritance of the Redeemer, and the peaceful character of his reign. “I will give Thee the Gentiles for Thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for Thy possession. In His days shall justice spring up, and the abundance of peace.”

He sees in his prophetic visions the Ethiopians falling down before the great Ruler, the Prince of Peace, and beholds His enemies prostrate at His feet. He sees the kings of Tharsis and of the Islands offering Him presents; the kings of the Arabians and of Saba bringing Him gifts. (Ps. 71.)

He foretells the future crucifixion with all its sorrowful scenes and circumstances. “They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones.” The gall and vinegar that were presented to the Divine Victim suffering and dying on the Cross; the lance that pierced His most Sacred Heart; the nails that held Him fast to the Cross; all these are mentioned by David in his Psalms. (Ps. 21:6–8.)

Prayer:  O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Tuesday
2 Kings cont..

Death overcome, the grave robbed of its prey, the earthquake that rent the rocks of Calvary, and the glory of the Resurrection were all and each familiar to the mind of the royal prophet. (Ps. 15.) He sees in the distant future the brightness of the Ascension. He calls upon the eternal gates to be lifted up, that the triumphant Conqueror of sin and death may take possession of His everlasting throne in heaven. David, the progenitor or forefather of Jesus Christ, who is Himself called the Son of David, was a figure of the Redeemer by the place of his birth, Bethlehem, by the obscurity and lowliness of his early years, by the victories he obtained over the enemies of the people of God, and also by his twofold character of king and prophet.

Commentary:

David lived more than a thousand years before our Lord’s birth. (He reigned from 1055 to 1015 B. C.) But the Spirit of God, to whom a thousand years are but as one day, inspired his spirit and enabled him to look forward over centuries, and contemplate the sufferings and glory of the Redeemer.

The prophecies about our Lord’s Sufferings have been very literally fulfilled (New Test. LXXV and LXXVI). It amazes us that the prophet, writing 1000 years before our Lord suffered, should have described such details as the piercing of His Hands and Feet, the division of His garments, the casting lots for the seamless robe, the scoffing and wagging of the head on the part of the bystanders! This foretelling of future events was only possible by means of divine revelation.

About the Resurrection David prophesied that our Lord’s soul would descend to Limbo, but would not stay there; and that His body would rest in the grave, but would not know corruption (“He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead”).

Alluding to our Lord’s glory in heaven and His kingdom the Psalmist says that He will sit at the right hand of God (“He ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty”).

Prayer:  Holy angel of the Lord by guardian, pray to God for me.

Wednesday
2 Kings:

DAVID was a great and glorious king and a man according to the heart of God. But perhaps his very glory and success were calculated to blind him with regard to the true source of all his greatness, which came from God alone. Hence God allowed him to fall into the most grievous sins of adultery and murder. Being idle one day and looking from the roof of his house down upon people, he saw Bethsabee, the wife of Urias, one of his captains in the army, and being seized with a guilty passion he caused her to be unfaithful to her lawful husband. Then, in order to conceal his sin and to marry Bethsabee, he wrote to the general of the army to put Urias in the front of the next battle, so that he would surely be slain. Joab, the general, did as his Lord and master commanded. Urias fell in battle, and David took Bethsabee for his wife. Then came the prophet Nathan to him, and told him how a rich man with many sheep had robbed a poor man of his one ewe-lamb in order to entertain a guest, and when David in great indignation at such heartless conduct inquired after the name of the man, saying “He shall die”, the prophet answered: “Thou art the man.” David was thunderstruck by this retort, and confessed his fault and asked pardon of the Lord. He then composed the seven penitential Psalms, which ever since have been the consolation of all truly penitent sinners.

The Lord, seeing the sorrow of David, ordered Nathan to tell him that his sin was forgiven, but that nevertheless he must undergo many temporal punishments, and that the child that was about to be born to him should die. David, humbling himself before God, willingly accepted this and many other punishments inflicted upon him, and added, on his own part, the most severe penance in expiation of his sin.

The most terrible chastisement inflicted on David was the ingratitude of his son Absalom. Now Absalom was endowed with rare beauty of person, so that from the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. His hair was long and beautiful. And David gave Absalom a princely retinue of chariots and horsemen, and a guard of young men to accompany him everywhere.

Prayer:  Our Father, Who art in  Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Thursday
2 Kings cont…

Absalom was wont to rise early in the morning and stand at the gate of the palace, and when any man presented himself to ask justice of the king, he kindly inquired what complaint he had to make, and on hearing it always replied: “Thy words seem good and just to me; but there is no one appointed by the king to hear thy cause.” In this manner he made friends for himself among the people by wrongfully blaming his father.

Sometimes he would exclaim in the hearing of these people: “O that they would make me judge over the land, that all who have business might come to me, that I might do them justice!” Moreover when any man came to salute him, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him. Thus he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel.

When he thought he had gained over all the men of Israel to his side, he asked his father to let him go to Hebron in fulfilment of a vow. David, suspecting no evil, allowed his son to depart. And when Absalom had reached Hebron, he sent messengers to all the tribes of Israel, telling them that when they heard the sound of a trumpet, they should say: “Absalom reigneth in Hebron.” And it came to pass that many of the people, not knowing his treachery, followed Absalom.

When David heard of Absalom’s revolt, he determined to leave the city, lest the citizens should suffer on his account. And having left the city with his attendants he came to the brook Cedron, his feet bare and his head veiled. And crossing the brook he came to Mount Olivet, where he wept for the guilt of his unnatural son and for his own sins. On the side of Mount Olivet he was met by a man named Semei, of the family of Saul, who threw stones and earth at David and cursed him: “Come out, come out, thou man of blood.” Abisai, full of wrath, cried out: “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go and cut off his head.” But David answered: “Behold, my own son seeketh my life; how much more one of the house of Saul! Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction and render me good for the cursing of this day.” He saw the hand of God in this new trial.

Absalom, having resolved to destroy David and his army, went in pursuit of them. David however reviewed his men and placed brave captains in command, and said that he would himself march at their head. But this his men would not permit, saying that if ten thousand of them fell in battle, they would not despair; but that if he perished, all was lost. The king therefore remained in the city of Mahanaim, but he commanded Joab and his other officers, saying: “Spare me the boy Absalom.”

Prayer:  O Lord, our God, in Thy goodness and love for men forgive me all the sins I have committed today in word, deed or thought. Grant me peaceful and undisturbed sleep. Send Thy Guardian Angel to guard and protect me from all evil. For Thou art the guardian of our souls and bodies, and to Thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
*(Evening Prayer and Confession of Sins)

Friday
2 Kings cont…

The battle was fought in the midst of a great wood, and Absalom’s army was cut to pieces. He himself fled, but he could not escape from divine justice, which pursues the wicked wherever they go. Having mounted a mule, he endeavoured to escape through the forest; but his long hair having become entangled in a tree, he remained hanging from a branch, while his mule passed on.

And word was brought to Joab, the general of the king’s army. Joab taking three javelins went to the place where Absalom was hanging from the tree, and with his javelins pierced the ungrateful, unnatural heart of the king’s son. Absalom still breathed and struggled for life, when some of Joab’s soldiers running up slew him with their swords. They then took Absalom’s body, and casting it into a deep pit in the forest piled over it a large heap of stones.

A herald was sent to David with news of Absalom’s defeat. David with the anxiety of a loving father asked: “Is Absalom safe?” When told that Absalom was dead, the king refused all comfort, and going up into a high chamber mourned his ungrateful son for many days. “Absalom, my son”, he cried, “my son Absalom, who would grant me that I might die for thee, Absalom, my son, my son Absalom!”

The people of Jerusalem, hearing of David’s victory, went out to meet him and carried him in triumph into the city.

Prayer:  Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)

Saturday
Commentary on the David and his son:

It grieved David deeply that his own son should come out against him as a mortal enemy. His heart bled, and he shed bitter tears when he thought of the ingratitude and impiety of his child, the faithlessness of his people, and the misery which this civil war kindled by Absalom would bring on his country. Yet he neither complained nor murmured, nor did he curse his wicked son; but he bore all the suffering and injustice with patience and gentleness, saying to himself: “I have deserved all these misfortunes, for I have grievously sinned against God.” Thus we too ought to do penance for our sins, by patience under suffering.

Even as God forgave David his sin, so did David forgive those who sinned and rebelled against him. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.” He who forgives from his heart is like unto the merciful God. There is something noble, nay, something divine, in forgiving and forgetting.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.