January 29.   Nathan said to David, “The Lord says, ‘You have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’  A discussion about immorality and injustice in leaders was held in groups who continued it in families at home. “Maybe the leaders have those weaknesses all along, like all of us have in fact.  However, when they have power it is very hard to correct them.”  “I admire people who own up for their mistakes and are prepared to take the consequences. Maybe we all need stronger modern day prophets in the Church and society to call leaders to account, to speak up in a just but also a merciful way.” “I think Pope Francis is like that and the late Archbishop Tutu who died last month was also a true example of that. He will be greatly missed.” Becoming an eco-friendly family:  We think only of rape as abuse against a woman. Let us also consider the rape of the earth as an evil to be challenged and combatted. 

The prophet Nathan said to David, “The Lord says, ‘You have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ Because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child that is born to you shall die.”  David said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” He prayed and fasted. Read from 2 Samuel 12:1-17 Pope Francis:    Calling for forgiveness does not exclude renouncing our own rights, confronting corrupt officials, criminals or those who would debase our dignity.   We are called to love everyone, without exception. At the same time loving an oppressor does not mean allowing him to keep oppressing us, or letting him think that what he does is acceptable. FT 241.