Friday, 2nd Week of Ordinary Time (II)

January 23,2004

by Rev. Herbert Nichols

On Wednesday we spoke of the courage and the faithfulness of St. Agnes and the challenge to us today to translate that faithfulness and courage into our own lives.

Yesterday we saw how David tackled the challenges -- the goliaths in his life -- and we spoke of some that we might face in our own.

But today’s reading continues into perhaps some of the deepest torture, pain, and challenge that the world recognizes today. Saul was consumed with bitter envy and resentment of the favors that God showed to David, and despite pleadings by his own son, Jonathan, Saul was determined, he could have no peace until he killed David.

This reading offers us an important teaching. Although Saul was falling deeper and deeper into darkness and self-consumption and turning far from God, David had the opportunity to save his own life by killing Saul. He would have been applauded by his army and his followers, but David chose not to do so for the simple reason that no matter what Saul had done, David respected the anointing that God had placed on him, no matter how unworthy.

David stood against the group of popular opinion just as he had stood against the giant Philistine. Does this sound somewhat familiar to current events we hear over and over today?

This is not to say that David condoned or did not call for chastisement of Saul for his transgressions against this Holy Anointing. But David also knew that one day he would replace Saul as king. To resort to violence and vengeance would set a dangerous precedent for himself. As an old proverb says: "What you throw into the wind, you get blown back in your face."

The truth is that the values of our society are not such as to foster respect for personal dignity. A wealthy person usually receives respect, but not the poor. An influential person receives respect, but the powerless receive no respect and remain vulnerable and defenseless.

Whether we are in a position of leadership or not, the way we act sets an example for others. Improper, immoral, illegal behavior will bring our fall like Saul; but if we speak with truth and respect, and witness the values of our faith to those around us, to those who are scandalized by darkness, then we are a bearer of light -- a Christ-person -- a Christian.

In Baptism all of us were anointed as a kingly, priestly people sharing in the royal kingship of Jesus Christ. How we live can either exalt or demean that witness. Every person we meet without exception is a member of that kingly dignity; even should we fall like Saul, or David, himself, later in life, into deep and dark and deadly sin. Those who do so deserve criticism and chastisement but they also deserve prayer.

Remember God says: Love your enemies. But you cannot even think of loving someone if you refuse to pray for them.