杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

杏MAP导航 Francis focused his catechesis at the Wednesday General Audience on the Biblical figure of King David.

鈥淔avored by God even from his youth, he is chosen for a unique mission that would play a central role in the history of the people of God and in our own faith.鈥�

Jesus, said the 杏MAP导航, is called 鈥渟on of David鈥� and fulfilled the ancient promises of 鈥渁 King completely after God鈥檚 heart, in perfect obedience to the Father.鈥�

A shepherd

David鈥檚 own story, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, begins in Bethlehem, where he shepherds his father鈥檚 flock.

鈥淗e worked in the open air: we can think of him as a friend of the wind, of the sounds of nature, of the sun鈥檚 rays.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 said David is first of all a shepherd. He defends others from danger and provides for their sustenance. In this line, Jesus called Himself 鈥渢he good shepherd鈥�, who 鈥渙ffers His life on behalf of the sheep. He guides them; He knows each one by name.鈥�

Later in life, when David goes astray by having a man killed in order to take his wife, he immediately understands his sin when the prophet Nathan reproves him.

鈥淒avid understands right away that he had been a bad shepherd,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渢hat he was no longer a humble servant, but a man who was crazy for power, a poacher who looted and preyed on others.鈥�

With a poet鈥檚 soul

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to reflect on what he called David鈥檚 鈥減oet鈥檚 soul鈥�.

鈥淗e has only one companion to comfort his soul: his harp; and during those long days spent in solitude, he loves to play and to sing to his God.鈥�

David, said the 杏MAP导航, was not a vulgar man. He often raised hymns to God, whether to express his joy, lamentation, or repentance.

鈥淭he world that presented itself before his eyes was not a silent scene: as things unraveled before his gaze he observed a greater mystery.鈥�

Contemplating life鈥檚 mystery

Prayer, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, arises from 鈥渢he conviction that life is not something that takes us by surprise, but a stupefying mystery that inspires poetry, music, gratitude, praise, even lament and supplication in us.鈥�

Biblical tradition, he noted, holds that David was the great artist behind the composition of the Psalms.

David, said the 杏MAP导航, dreamed of being a good shepherd. He was many things: 鈥渉oly and sinful, persecuted and persecutor, victim and murderer.鈥�

Like him, events in our own lives reveal us in a similar light. 鈥淚n the drama of life, all people often sin because of inconsistency.鈥�

Bringing everything to God

杏MAP导航 Francis said that, like David, there is one golden thread that runs through all our lives: prayer.

鈥淒avid teaches us to let everything enter into dialogue with God: joy as well as guilt, love as well as suffering, friendship as much as sickness,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything can become a word spoken to the 鈥榊ou鈥� who always listens to us.鈥�

David, concluded 杏MAP导航 Francis, knew solitude but 鈥渨as in reality never alone!鈥�

鈥淭his is the power of prayer in all those who make space for it in their lives,鈥� he said. 鈥淧rayer makes us noble: it is capable of securing their relationship with God who is the true Companion on the journey of every man and woman, in the midst of life鈥檚 thousand adversities.鈥�