Struggles

     David was chosen by God.  He was champion of his people and best friend of his king.  At the instigation of the Lord, he led a rebellion against his rightful king and friend, Saul.  He replaced Saul as leader, and served as a great king.  He built the temple - a house for the Ark of the Covenant and danced before the Lord at its dedication.  From his line would come the promise of a messiah and savior.  And yet David's personal sin was awful, as we described before.  In his sincere repentance came forgiveness from the Lord.  And then his beloved son, Absalom, took up arms against his father and with his troops became his mortal enemy.  Today we hear of Absalom's tragic death, and of David's lament for his son.  David's life was filled with struggles - of God's making, of his own making, and of forces beyond himself.

     Our struggles may be very different from those of David, but no less real.  Remembering that we have been anointed as God's chosen - that we are sinners, repentant and forgiven - and that we are not always the master of our fate, we embrace the struggles with confident assurance of the love of God for us, and with the knowledge that our name, like David's, is written in the Book of Life.  Be confident ... be strong.

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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK REFLECTION
     I have had many outstanding teachers in my years in Catholic School.  The men who taught me scripture in theology at Saint Francis - particularly TOR Fathers Roland and Austin as well as Father Tony Wei, were inspiring.  They gave me a love of the scriptures.