2nd book of Samuel 11,1-4.5-10.13-17.
At the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel, and they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem. One evening David rose from his siesta and strolled about on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing, who was very beautiful. David had inquiries made about the woman and was told, "She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam, and wife of (Joab's armor-bearer) Uriah the Hittite." Then David sent messengers and took her. When she came to him, he had relations with her, at a time when she was just purified after her monthly period. She then returned to her house. But the woman had conceived, and sent the information to David, "I am with child." David therefore sent a message to Joab, "Send me Uriah the Hittite." So Joab sent Uriah to David. When he came, David questioned him about Joab, the soldiers, and how the war was going, and Uriah answered that all was well. David then said to Uriah, "Go down to your house and bathe your feet." Uriah left the palace, and a portion was sent out after him from the king's table. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the royal palace with the other officers of his lord, and did not go down to his own house. David was told that Uriah had not gone home. So he said to Uriah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why, then, did you not go down to your house?" David summoned him, and he ate and drank with David, who made him drunk. But in the evening he went out to sleep on his bed among his lord's servants, and did not go down to his home. The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab which he sent by Uriah. In it he directed: "Place Uriah up front, where the fighting is fierce. Then pull back and leave him to be struck down dead." So while Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew the defenders were strong. When the men of the city made a sortie against Joab, some officers of David's army fell, and among them Uriah the Hittite died.
Psalms 51(50),3-4.5-6.6-7.10-11.
Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness; in your abundant compassion blot out my offense.
Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.
For I know my offense; my sin is always before me.
Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight That you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn.
Against you alone have I sinned; I have done such evil in your sight That you are just in your sentence, blameless when you condemn.
True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me.
Let me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Turn away your face from my sins; blot out all my guilt.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 4,26-34.
He said,"This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come." He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.
Saint Ambrose (c.340-397), Bishop of Milan and Doctor of the Church
Commentary on St Luke’s Gospel, 7, 183f. (SC 52)
The Lord himself is a mustard seed… But if Christ is a mustard seed, in what way is he the smallest and how does he become great? It is not in his nature but according to his outward appearance that he regains greatness. Do you want to know in what way he is the least? “Without majesty, without beauty, we saw him,” (Is 53,2). Now learn how he is the greatest: “Fairer in beauty is he than the sons of men” (Ps 45 [44],3). Truly, he who was without show or beauty has become superior to the angels (Heb 1,4), surpassing the glory of all Israel’s prophets… He is the least of all the seeds because he did not come with majesty, nor with wealth, nor the wisdom of this world. But suddenly, like a tree, he unfurled the topmost point of his might so that we now say: “I delight to rest in his shadow,” (Sg 2,3).
In my view, he often appeared as both tree and seed together. He is seed when we say: “Is he not Joseph, the carpenter’s, son?” (cf Mt 13,55). But even as these words are spoken he suddenly becomes greater… “Where,” they say, “did this man get such wisdom?” (v.54). Thus he is seed in appearance but tree by his wisdom. Amongst the foliage of his branches the night-bird in its habitation can rest secure, the sparrow alone on the housetop (102 [101],8), he who was caught up into Paradise, he who will be caught up in the air on the clouds” (1Thes 4,17). There rest the heavenly powers and angels together with all those whose spiritual deeds have allowed them to take their flight. There Saint John reposed when he leaned on Jesus’ breast (Jn 13,25)…
And we “who were far off” (Eph 2,13), gathered from among the nations, tossed about for so long in the emptiness of the world by the tempests of the spirit of evil, we direct our flight, spreading the wings of the virtues, so that the shadow of the saints may shelter us from the burning heat of this world. Already we regain new life, in the peace and security of that rest, no sooner than our soul, up to now bent down beneath the weight of sin, is “rescued like a bird from the snare of the fowlers” (124 [123].7) and has been carried up upon the branches and mountains of the Lord (cf. Ps 11 [10],1).
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