DAY 148: APRIL 29

2 Samuel 19

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

19 It was told Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” ² So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops; for the troops heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” ³ The troops stole into the city that day as soldiers steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. ⁴ The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” ⁵ Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your officers who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, ⁶ for love of those who hate you and for hatred of those who love you. You have made it clear today that commanders and officers are nothing to you; for I perceive that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. ⁷ So go out at once and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night; and this will be worse for you than any disaster that has come upon you from your youth until now.” ⁸ Then the king got up and took his seat in the gate. The troops were all told, “See, the king is sitting in the gate”; and all the troops came before the king.

David Recalled to Jerusalem

Meanwhile, all the Israelites had fled to their homes. ⁹ All the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and saved us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom. ¹⁰ But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”
¹¹ King David sent this message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house? The talk of all Israel has come to the king.^[a] 12 You are my kin, you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? So may God do to me, and more, if you are not the commander of my army from now on, in place of Joab.’” ¹⁴ Amasa^[b] swayed the hearts of all the people of Judah as one, and they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.” ¹⁵ So the king came back to the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring him over the Jordan.
¹⁶ Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the people of Judah to meet King David; ¹⁷ with him were a thousand people from Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king, ¹⁸ while the crossing was taking place,^[c]to bring over the king’s household, and to do his pleasure.

David’s Mercy to Shimei

Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, ¹⁹ and said to the king, “May my lord not hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; may the king not bear it in mind. ²⁰ For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, see, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” ²¹ Abishai son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” ²² But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today become an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” ²³ The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

David and Mephibosheth Meet

²⁴ Mephibosheth^[d] grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; he had not taken care of his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes, from the day the king left until the day he came back in safety. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”^[e] 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, ‘Saddle a donkey for me,^[f] so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame. ²⁷ He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. ²⁸ For all my father’s house were doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to appeal to the king?” ²⁹ The king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” ³⁰ Mephibosheth^[g] said to the king, “Let him take it all, since my lord the king has arrived home safely.”

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

³¹ Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. ³² Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.” ³⁴ But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵ Today I am eighty years old; can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward? ³⁷ Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own town, near the graves of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do for him whatever seems good to you.” ³⁸ The king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you; and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” ³⁹ Then all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over; the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. ⁴⁰ The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; all the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.
⁴¹ Then all the people of Israel came to the king, and said to him, “Why have our kindred the people of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” ⁴² All the people of Judah answered the people of Israel, “Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?” ⁴³ But the people of Israel answered the people of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the people of Judah were fiercer than the words of the people of Israel.

Psalm 140

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹ Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from those who are violent,
² who plan evil things in their minds
    and stir up wars continually.
³ They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,
    and under their lips is the venom of vipers.Selah

⁴ Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    protect me from the violent
    who have planned my downfall.
⁵ The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread a net,^[a]
    along the road they have set snares for me.Selah

⁶ I say to the Lord, “You are my God;
    give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.”
⁷ O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸ Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their evil plot.^[b]Selah

⁹ Those who surround me lift up their heads;^[c]
    let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
¹⁰ Let burning coals fall on them!
    Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise!
¹¹ Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;
    let evil speedily hunt down the violent!

¹² I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy,
    and executes justice for the poor.
¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
    the upright shall live in your presence.

Mark 15:1-20

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Jesus before Pilate

15 As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. ² Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” ³ Then the chief priests accused him of many things. ⁴ Pilate asked him again, “Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.” ⁵ But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified

⁶ Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. ⁷ Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. ⁸ So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. ⁹ Then he answered them, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” ¹⁰ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over.¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. ¹² Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do^[a] with the man you call^[b] the King of the Jews?” ¹³ They shouted back, “Crucify him!” ¹⁴ Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him!” ¹⁵ So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

¹⁶ Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters^[c]); and they called together the whole cohort. ¹⁷ And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. ¹⁸ And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. ²⁰ After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

CATECHISM

I. CHRIST'S RESURRECTION AND OURS

The progressive revelation of the Resurrection

992 God revealed the resurrection of the dead to his people progressively. Hope in the bodily resurrection of the dead established itself as a consequence intrinsic to faith in God as creator of the whole man, soul and body. The creator of heaven and earth is also the one who faithfully maintains his covenant with Abraham and his posterity. It was in this double perspective that faith in the resurrection came to be expressed. In their trials, the Maccabean martyrs confessed:

The King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.⁵⁴⁰ One cannot but choose to die at the hands of men and to cherish the hope that God gives of being raised again by him.⁵⁴¹

993 The Pharisees and many of the Lord's contemporaries hoped for the resurrection. Jesus teaches it firmly. To the Sadducees who deny it he answers, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?"⁵⁴² Faith in the resurrection rests on faith in God who "is not God of the dead, but of the living."⁵⁴³

994 But there is more. Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: "I am the Resurrection and the life."⁵⁴⁴ It is Jesus himself who on the last day will raise up those who have believed in him, who have eaten his body and drunk his blood.⁵⁴⁵ Already now in this present life he gives a sign and pledge of this by restoring some of the dead to life,⁵⁴⁶ announcing thereby his own Resurrection, though it was to be of another order. He speaks of this unique event as the "sign of Jonah,"⁵⁴⁷ the sign of the temple: he announces that he will be put to death but rise thereafter on the third day.⁵⁴⁸

995 To be a witness to Christ is to be a "witness to his Resurrection," to "[have eaten and drunk] with him after he rose from the dead."⁵⁴⁹ Encounters with the risen Christ characterize the Christian hope of resurrection. We shall rise like Christ, with him, and through him.

996 From the beginning, Christian faith in the resurrection has met with incomprehension and opposition.⁵⁵⁰ "On no point does the Christian faith encounter more opposition than on the resurrection of the body."⁵⁵¹ It is very commonly accepted that the life of the human person continues in a spiritual fashion after death. But how can we believe that this body, so clearly mortal, could rise to everlasting life?