Jesus is with us.

Jesus' name itself means "God with us.

Before ascending, Jesus promised His disciples,

" I am with you always, to the end of the age" 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊       

2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17 

So Yahweh sent the prophet

Nathan to David. Nathan went to the king and said to him, "There were two men in a city:

one was rich; the other, poor. The rich man had many sheep and cattle,

but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb he had bought.

He himself fed it and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food,

drank from his cup and slept on his lap. It was like a daughter to him.

 

Now a traveler came to the rich man, but he would not take from his own flock or herd to prepare food for the traveler.

Instead, he took the poor man's lamb and prepared that for his visitor."

David was furious because of this man and told Nathan, "As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves death!

He must return the lamb fourfold for acting like this and showing no compassion." Nathan said to David, "You are this man!

 

Now the sword will never be far from your family because you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself.

Thus says Yahweh: Your misfortune will rise from your own house!

I will take your wives from you and give them to your neighbor who shall lie with them in broad daylight.

What you did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in broad daylight."

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against Yahweh." Nathan answered him, "Yahweh has forgiven your sin; you shall not die.

 

However, because you have dared to despise Yahweh by doing such a thing, the child that is born to you shall die."

Then Nathan went to his home. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and the child became very ill.

David entreated God for the child. He kept a strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night.

The elders of his house asked him to rise from the ground but he refused. Nor did he join them to eat.

 

Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 4:35-41

On that same day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake."

So they left the crowd, and took him along in the boat he had been sitting in, and other boats set out with him.

Then a storm gathered and it began to blow a gale. The waves spilled over into the boat,

so that it was soon filled with water. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. 

They woke him up, and said, "Master, don't you care if we drown?" And rising up,

 

Jesus rebuked the wind, and ordered the sea, "Quiet now! Be still!"

The wind dropped, and there was a great calm. Then Jesus said to them,

"Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith?"

But they were terrified, and they said to one another, "Who can this be?

Even the wind and the sea obey him!"

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Jesus is with us.

All of us experience life's storms, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

Jesus, who is Emmanuel, reminds us that He is with us.

His presence brings peace, and He has the power to calm the storms in our lives.

This should always encourage us to trust Jesus's power and presence rather than panic or forget He is in control.

Our faith in Him does not guarantee a life free of storms but invites us into a deep trust in Him through them.

As we confront challenges in our lives, we are encouraged to remember

that Jesus is with us, and with Him, we can find peace even in the most turbulent times.