Davidic Narratives in the Contemporary Roman Catholic Liturgical Readings

The paper examines the passages from Davidic narratives in the books of Samuel and 1 Kings included in the contemporary Roman Catholic breviary and lectionary as “readings,” in light of the Christological focus of these liturgical collections. It argues that the decision about the inclusion of these passages in spite of the complex and potentially problematic image of David they convey was influenced by a number of interpretative traditions. The article explores these abundant sources and also the means employed by the compilers of the liturgical collections to harmonize the selected biblical passages with these traditions.