The Memorial of Saint John Bosco

The Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him. A traveler came to the rich man, and he didn't want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

David's anger burned hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die! He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!"

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite's wife to be your wife.'

"This is what the Lord says: 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."

Nathan said to David, "The Lord also has put away your sin. You will not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the Lord's enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die." Then Nathan departed to his house.

The Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he was very sick. David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn't eat bread with them.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Sinners will be converted to you.

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation. My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. Lord, open my lips. My mouth will declare your praise.

For you don't delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let's go over to the other side." Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him. A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled. He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, "Teacher, don't you care that we are dying?"

He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!"The wind ceased and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?"

They were greatly afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"