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David committed adultery. David was also responsible for the death of the husband of Bathsheba. The Lord wanted to confront David about the adultery and the murder. The Lord chose Nathan to confront David about his crimes. It was a difficult task and mission.
Using the story you heard in the first reading, Nathan baited David into his trap. David said: “That man should be killed.” And as in a drama, Nathan said: “You are the man!” Immediately, David asked the Lord for repentance. He asked the Lord for forgiveness and pardon.
We are all being called to be like Nathan. When we confront sinners with their sins, it is not enough that we condemn. Look at what Nathan did to David. He condemned the sin of David and yet David never lost hope in the mercy of God. The two should always go together. Confrontation against sin with the offer of mercy. The problem with us is that some of us are so good at confronting sins and when we do so we can be so self righteous that we fail to offer any mercy. On the other hand, we come across people who are so merciful that they actually tolerate evil, they actually nod at evil. That is not mercy, that is weakness.
Today, let us learn from Nathan. Let us call sin as sin and evil as evil. But when we confront sin and sinners let us not be wanting in mercy. When we are merciful, let us not be wanting in courage.
Today, we ask the Lord for the grace to take courage in confronting sin as sin but also the Lord’s mercy so that we may offer the same pardon to those who have sinned.
JUSTICE WITH MERCY
2 Sam 12:1-23
Jesus In My Heart
