I found the first reading to be shocking, both regarding how David chose and how God acts.  The question I have for David is this: Why did you wait until after 70,000 people had died before you felt the truth of what you finally realized? "It is I who have sinned; it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong.  But these are sheep; what have they done?" You could have chosen the middle option of having to flee from your enemy for three months. Why didn't you choose that more obviously appropriate punishment?  The question I would ask God (through his mouth-piece, Gad, the Prophet) is this: Why are the punishments all out of proportion to the sin of David, and why let 70,000 people die for the hubris of one ruler?

Then we come to the passage from Mark's Gospel that has its own shock value. Why wouldn't (or couldn't) the people of his own home town recognize and rejoice in his wise teaching and mighty deeds?  Jesus himself was amazed at their lack of faith!

The above three questions, of course, have no answers, but they can lead us into a deeper understanding and acceptance of the absolute mystery of God and of God's ways, as well as an appreciation of the struggle of us human beings to grasp who God is, what God decrees or permits, and why we are on such an arduous journey of faith.  "My ways are not your ways," says the Lord, "as far as the east is from the west so far are my ways beyond yours." Today's readings call us, I believe, to simply enter into and plumb the marvelous depths of the mystery of God's loving plan for us.  It is certainly true --this much we know from the revelation of Who God is in the person, words, and actions of our Lord Jesus Christ--that God does not desire the death of even one person (much less 70,000!), but wants us all to live and flourish, now and eternally.  It is also revealed truth that God wants us all to live in a forgiving,  healing, unifying, and loving relationship to one another. But it has to be a free choice and commitment on our part.  We are not puppets or slaves.  We are, in Christ, the dearly beloved, darling children of God and called by name to  choose and share the mission of Christ -- to  bring about the reign of universal peace, justice and love.

For us all, this means not taking offense (scandal) at the promise of Jesus, but being astonished again and again and living in gratitude and surprise. It means being born over and over and over again by choosing life and love and peace and joy in every corner of our universe and with every beat of our hearts. This is our prayer today and always.