Homily for Thursday, Week 3 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Thursday
3d Week of Ordinary Time

2 Sam 7: 18-19, 24-29
Jan. 29, 2026
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

David at Prayer (Art Bible)

“Who am I, Lord God, and who are the members of my house, that you have brought me to this point?” (2 Sam 7: 18).

In yesterday’s reading from ch. 7 of 2 Samuel, David proposed to build a suitable house for the ark of the covenant.  God responded by telling him no, that would be for his heir to do; but God would, instead, build a house for David, i.e., assure him a lasting dynasty and a permanent, protected land for Israel.

Today we heard part of David’s prayerful response.  He’s humbly grateful for God’s graciousness toward him, his family, and his people.  He recognizes that it’s all God’s doing:  “you have made this generous promise to your servant” (7:28), and “by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever” (7:29).  Our psalm response repeats the Lord’s promise, conditionally:  “If your sons keep my covenant, … their sons, too, forever shall sit upon your throne” and “Zion is my resting place forever” (Ps 132:12,14).

As the Lord’s intentions for David differed from David’s own thoughts, likewise he’s fulfilled his commitment in a way different than David and the rest of Israel anticipated.  Altho David’s physical family is no more, the Son of David, God’s final Anointed One, lives and reigns over the universe forever.  As God chose Israel—a choice never revoked, as Vatican II and all the recent Popes have reminded us—he has chosen multitudes more to be his people.  “This is my blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many” (Eucharistic Prayers).  The Lord God, thru Jesus Messiah, has incorporated all of his followers into David’s dynasty.

For this we’re grateful and make David’s prayer our own:  “Who am I, Lord God, … that you have brought me to this point,” and we, now members of David’s house, “stand firm before you.  You have made this generous promise to your servant,” and this house of David’s Son, our Christian house, “shall be blessed forever” (7:18,26,28,29).