January 28, 2006, Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, priest, 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 with the rod of men and with human chastisements,

but I will not withdraw my favor from him, as I withdrew it from

your predecessor, Saul, whom I removed from my presence. Your house and your kingdom shall endure

forever before me, your throne shall stand firm forever. Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

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