David -- adulterer, murdererer, saint

David had been an adulterer and had ordered a murder, and nonetheless we venerate him as a saint because he had the courage to say: 'I have sinned.' He humbled himself before God. One can commit enormous mistakes, but one can also acknowledge them, change one's life and make reparation for what one has done.

--Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Abraham Skorka, "On Heaven and Earth", Random House, New York, 2013.

Lavámini, mundi estóte, auférte malum cogitatiónum vestrárum ab óculis meis; quiéscite ágere pervérse, díscite benefácere: quærite iudícium, subveníte opprésso, iudicáte pupíllo, deféndite víduam. Et veníte et iudício contendámus, dicit Dóminus. Si fúerint peccáta vestra ut cóccinum, quasi nix dealbabúntur; et si fúerint rubra quasi vermículus, velut lana erunt.

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean. Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us talk this over, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

(Isaiah 1:16-18)

Many a soul has been brought back to God. Many a dying person has been sent to God, many a child has been taught to love God, many a sick person has been comforted and taught to suffer for love of God, and above all the generous and self-sacrificing lives of our young Sisters must have given much reparation to the Sacred Heart.--And for all these, I beg you to thank God with me.

(Blessed Mother Teresa, Come Be My Light, p 154)