The word that God addresses to David on the occasion of his acclamation royal, which puts an end to the long and painful struggle with Saul, illuminates and directs it celebration of today’s solemnity: “You will shepherd my people!”. David is called to be king without stopping indeed improving and optimizing his of him being a shepherd capable of taking care of the flock. The alliance stipulated between the people and David becomes even more profound in the mystery of each other belonging between Christ and his Church as a sign and first fruits of humanity saved. The bond is what Paul indicates with the symbol of the relationship essential and reciprocal of the “head” with the “body”. The last gesture that Luke tells us in the Passion of the Lord only confirms and to seal his entire gospel marked by mercy and attention loving for the weakest and for sinners. The “today” with which it opens the announcement of the year of the Lord’s grace in the synagogue of Nazareth, it becomes the “today” of eternity which is the ultimate and invincible triumph of the love that totally gives itself and always forgives. The Lord Jesus, like a true king, he gives an audience to everyone and from the very humble throne of the cross he takes his place a position of such absolute vulnerability as to allow everyone and a each to express himself without any fear: everyone speaks and everyone does they express, “the leaders”, “the soldiers”, “one of the criminals” and also “the other”. In the mystery of this feast now it’s up to us to have our say to the Lord Jesus crucified! The most beautiful thing we could tell him is “Here we are yours bones and your flesh”. Thus, in a love recognized and embraced, the cross is transforms from a gallows into a burning bush.

Commentary by b. Michael David, osb Novalesa Abbey

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey