Catechesis Notes for the Week — The Stories of David—The Old Testament narratives this fall take us from the beginning of the Monarchy of David, when he is persecuted and hunted by the apostate King Saul, to the divided kingdom of Judah and Israel, and the return of the exiles. As we meditate upon David’s life and ministry, we are to think of the greater Son of David, our Lord Jesus Christ. David the shepherd, at his best, gives us a picture of Jesus. He is merciful, compassionate, he draws to himself those who are suffering and downtrodden. In the book of psalms, so many of which were written by David, we see a man of faith, like our Lord, who “calls upon God in every trouble, who prays, praises, and give thanks.” In David’s life, unlike Jesus, we also see a man of sinful weakness. Yet even this teaches us much about living as sinners by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord’s promises did not fail David. He was called to repentance for his failings, he heard the voice of the Lord, and in contrition and repentance returned to the Lord repeatedly. The penitential psalms, like 38, 32, and 51, give us examples of what the baptismal life of the Christian is really like. We are called to daily contrition and repentance for our sin, to faith in Christ’s mercy, that the Lord might bring forth in us, as He did for David, His good works and the fruits of faith.CP240901