Homily for Tuesday, Week 3 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Tuesday
3d Week of Ordinary Time

Jan. 27, 2026
2 Sam 6: 12-19
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

David bringing the Ark into Jerusalem (Domenico Gargiulo)

“David went to bring up the ark of God … into the city of David amid festivities” (2 Sam 6: 12).

Having defeated Israel’s enemies and his personal foes, David acts to secure his throne as well as to honor God, who has delivered him and Israel, who has raised him from tending sheep to care for God’s human flock.

When we hear the phrase “city of David,” we think 1st of Bethlehem:  “Joseph went up from Galilee … to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David” (Luke 2:4).  But David is making Jerusalem his city, a wise political move as part of his efforts to unite the 12 tribes; it’s a city that hasn’t belonged to any one of the tribes, a neutral site as it were.  By bringing up the ark of the covenant, he also makes Jerusalem the religious capital of all the tribes; later, when the tribes divide the kingdom, Jeroboam’s 1st move will be to establish an alternative religious center for the northern tribes he governs, to keep them away from the 2 tribes that remained loyal to the line of David (1 Kgs 12:26-32).

David’s religious sentiments, tho, are sincere, not mere political calculation.  He assumes a priestly role in regard to the ark:  wearing priestly garb, dancing wildly, leading the people’s acclamations, offering abundant sacrifices to the Lord (2 Sam 6:13-15).

We’re praying today for Bro. Charles’s friend Winnie Lau.  Her little biography says she and her husband Walter loved ballroom dancing.  It they’d been break dancers instead, they might have resembled David.  But Winnie’s work at her parish food pantry resembles David’s gift of meat, bread, and raisins to the people in celebration of God’s presence among them.  Her rosary-making and prayer were sacrifices to the Lord.  Her participation in the Eucharist expressed her priestly dignity among the baptized.

David brought the ark of God to Jerusalem, close to his home, close to the heart of his nation.  The new ark of God rests in our home, to be the center of our lives.  We praise the Lord Jesus who saves us.  We can’t “dance before him with abandon”; we can only walk or shuffle, but we bring him our sincere and trusting hearts.  In our Eucharistic celebration we unite ourselves sacrificially with Christ to pray for our beloved friends and for all of humanity.