January 24, 2004, Memorial of St. Francis DeSales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

A reading from the second book of Samuel.

That night the Lord spoke to Nathan and said,

Go tell my servant David. Thus says the Lord, should you build me a house to dwell in?

I have not dwelt in a house from the day on which I led the children of Israel out of Egypt to the present,

but I have been going about in a tent under cloth.

In all my wanderings everywhere among the children of Israel, did I ever utter a word to any one of the judges whom I charged to tend my people Israel to ask,

why have you not built me a house of cedar? Now then, speak thus to my servant David. The Lord of hosts has this to say,

It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people

Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.

And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.

I will fix a place for my people Israel.

I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance.

Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them

as they did of old since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.

I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also reveals to you that he will

establish a house for you.

And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,

I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,

and I will make his kingdom firm.

It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne firm forever.

I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him

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