Homily Thursday Week 3 Year A: Fr. Udoekpo, Michael U
Readings: 2 Sam 7:18-19, 24-29; Ps
132:1-2,3-5,11-14; Mark 4:21-25
Lucerna Pedibus Meis Verbum Tuum, Et Lumen
Semitis Tuis (Your Word is a lamp to
my feet and a light to my path, Ps 119:105)—sing!!!!!!!!!
This is the Alleluia verse of this Mass, taken
from Psalm 119. For me, this verse sums up the spiritual and the theological
meaning of some of the metaphors we find in the Readings just heard. The
metaphor of a house, (bayit ), Davidic house, the dynasty built only by the God of David. The metaphor
of furniture in this house, including a lamp and how lightening are being
handled in this house of David- how the lamp on the lampstand is used!
The focus of our first readings throughout this
week, from 2 Samuel, has been on David’s narrative, and on the God of David. In
spite of all his sinfulness, the person of David becomes a symbol of God’s
presence, a symbol of God’s house, and symbol of God’s covenant with us.
David is God’s representative. The David of the 2 Samuel, the first reading is a hero who is also very human. David is quite talented. Of course, David is a skillful musician, as some of us here are. David is a valiant soldier, as some of us here are. David is an intelligent speaker, a good public presenter, a strong leader, an orator, a handsome man. Many of us here are very intelligent, very smart. We are good speakers, great presenters. We are handsome. So many bright furniture that God has built into the house of David! Like David we are blessed with so many gifts and potentials!
But the irony is that, David’s life, beginning
from his family is full of struggles and bumps. His life is marred with dark stories and
episodes. Think of his fight with Goliath. His conflict with Saul. His
adulterous behavior and orchestrated murder. David wept over the death of his
terrible son- Absalom, and so on….. Yet in the midst of all these David is
faithful. David repents. David worships God. God establishes a
covenant with David. God will build a house for David, an everlasting dynasty-
the Church, the people of God, ourselves, the body of Christ.
In our journeys, studies
and work here in the seminary and elsewhere, we want to see God’s presence in
our lives through the eyes of David. We want to allow God’s light, the Word of
God (Verbum Domini) to light the paths of our struggles. As we run daily from
one pillar of the formation, or of the nourishment and maintenance of this house to the
other (Pastoral, Human, and Spiritual- Intellectual) we want our heart be lit by the lamp the lamp of God.
As warned against in today’s Gospel (Mark 4:21-25) when they are lit we don’t want to place it under a bushel, but like David, like Christ the Son of David we want to place it, the Word of God, the Light of Christ, on a lamp stand, so as not only to gladdens our hearts and homes, but also to illumine the darkness of our society and communities.
As warned against in today’s Gospel (Mark 4:21-25) when they are lit we don’t want to place it under a bushel, but like David, like Christ the Son of David we want to place it, the Word of God, the Light of Christ, on a lamp stand, so as not only to gladdens our hearts and homes, but also to illumine the darkness of our society and communities.
We pray at this Mass that
God’s words may continue to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Lucerna
Pedibus Meis Verbum Tuum, Et Lumen Semitis Tuis).
