Finding Favor with the Lord

In today's first reading, James 3: 13-18, St. James asks us whether we are wise and understanding and then says to us:  "...[S]how your] works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom."   There is no way to do this if "bitter jealousy and selfish ambition" dominate our hearts. How do we know whether these motivations have entered our hearts? Their presence reveals itself when we give in to boasting and abandon truth. In James words: [D]o not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice."  And we see the effects of jealousy and selfish ambition every night when we listen to the nightly news.  Our country has stooped, I believe, to a new low where selfish ambition is applauded and rewarded, where earthly wisdom darkens our minds and hearts and will. Yes, there is a aura of the demonic clouding, I believe, the U.S. Every kind of disorder and...foul practice" are the order of the day, it seems.

But what about you and I personally? Because we live in this kind of climate does not exempt us from taking James words seriously!  You and I as Christians are called to be wise and understanding, to live "a good live in the humility that comes from wisdom, divine wisdom that is, not earthly wisdom.  When you and I act from divine wisdom, we are relying upon the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength to make right choices, to follow, in the words of today's  the responsorial psalm, Psalm 19, "the law of the Lord."  Only God's laws and decrees are "trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple,...rejoicing the heart,...enlightening the eye....The ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just."   With the psalmist, we pray:  "Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Jonathan's Friendship, Love and Intervention on Behalf of David

In today's first reading, 1 Sam  18: 6-9; 19: 1-7, the women are celebrating David's victory over Goliath and, in doing so,  sing the praises of both David and Saul.  They attribute greater success to David than to Saul.  Saul immediately becomes jealous of David, to the point of planning to kill him lest he take over the kingship from Saul.  Saul's son, Jonathan, intercedes, saying to his father:  "Let not your majesty sin against his servant David, for he has committed no offense against you, but has helped  you very much by his deeds. [H]e took his life in  his hands and slew the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel through him.  [Y]ou were glad to see it."  Saul listens to Jonathan and states: "As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed."

How quickly jealousy can grip us and lead to disastrous plans, including murder!  There is no dearth of stories of how families are torn apart by jealousy and how relationships can be destroyed by such. Covetous of another possessions or another's spouse or another's success,  a person may succumb to jealousy as did Saul against David! Fearful that another might be more popular than oneself, will secure a position that one desires, win over a hopeful bride/bridegroom, persons may give entertain malicious, jealous thoughts that translate into strong feelings of hate and violence toward another: ruining reputations, causing financial ruin or even loss of life.

What can you and I do when we are struggling with the human weaknesses of jealousy, envy, and covetousness? First of all, pay attention to what we are telling ourselves about a situation. Saul erred in saying to himself: "'They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship'. And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David."  He was lying to himself or engaging in, what is called in the world of recovering alcoholics, "stinking thinking."  Second of all, we need to know when our thoughts are distorted.  Thirdly, we need to reveal our thinking to another person who is strong enough and cares deeply about our well being to the point that he/she will help us recognize distorted thoughts and challenge plans to bring harm to another person in any shape or form, be that physical, spiritual, relational, reputation-wise,  or financial. And also, we need to tell Jesus what we are thinking and planning to do and ask for honest feedback.

And finally, thank the Lord for giving us the courage to be honest with ourselves, helping us to come to rightful conclusions, to abandon malicious plans and jealous thoughts. 

Being a "Herod," or a "Joseph" or a "Mary" in Today's World--Who am I?

Today, in the Catholic Church, we celebrate the feast of Holy Innocents, those children slaughtered by Herod after he heard about the Messiah being born in Bethlehem and whose kingdom would last forever.  He perceived his kingdom and his power at risk and would have none of it!

Of whom am I, are you, jealous? By whose power, real or imagined, do I, do you, feel   threatened? Is there anyone who you are degrading verbally, putting down by demeaning images and, if so, why? How is that person a threat to you, even if an unconscious threat? Instead of attacking another, what if  you and I sent person/s a blessing, prayed for them and turned them, and ourselves, over to a merciful God for the graces he or she needs and that we need as well? What if you and I did not join those who pour out the poisonous venom of hatred, bigotry, misogyny, prejudice and other divisive stances and, instead, spread love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness as Jesus did? Or are we not serious about our faith in the Lord?  Are we, in truth, making the world a better place because of who we are and what we stand for? Or do we simply become part of the crowd of cynical, hate-filled mongrels afraid to look oneself honestly in the mirror and examine what attitudes have poisoned our minds?

Obviously, Herod did not face the truth about himself and simply went on a killing spree, totally out of control of the negativity, the jealousy, the selfishness and sinfulness within him. We, too, can be a "Herod" in today's world  by our words, our actions, our silence.  We can choose to teach others the dynamics of hatred, jealousy, envy, lust for power and control and other sinful attitudes. We can encourage others to seek superiority over others and express that delusional superiority in words and actions that put others down. On the other hand, we can choose to be a "Joseph", a "Mary", listening to God's call to be men and women of integrity who protect children from venomous environments and take them away from places of danger--physical or non-physical. Yes, we can be teachers of Gospel values or the values taught in any other religion--values of integrity, truth, love in both word and action.

God's Delight in His Children's Return to Him

Today's Gospel, Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32, presents the story of the prodigal son, who, after his father "divided the property between [his two sons],...collected all his belongings and set off for a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation..... A severe famine struck the country, and he found himself in dire need. So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed, but nobody gave him any. Coming to his senses he thought, 'How many of my father's hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you."

We know the rest of the story:  The father sees his son returning and is absolutely elated. He embraces him, kisses him and orders that a feast be prepared to celebrate his son's return. Royal clothing and a ring is put on his finger.  Meanwhile his older brother returns from the fields, hears the music and inquires what is going on. He is indignant and refuses to join the celebration. His father pleads with him and tries to figure out why he is so angry when, all the while, everything the father possesses has been his all along.

All of us can relate to this story in some fashion. We may be the prodigal son/daughter or the one who has been faithful all along but resent a family member who squanders everything and when returning to the family is welcomed back as though nothing happened.  We may say: "No way will I have anything to do with him/her" or, to one's parents or siblings,  "How can you have anything to do with him/her when he/she treated you and us so badly."

Lord, open our eyes and hearts to those who have gone astray, who have caused us, or anyone else, intense suffering, alienating him/herself from others by their sinful behaviors. May we be willing to welcome back those who turned from evil and embrace the good. Let us celebrate their return to grace. Let us not stand in judgment over them but, like the father of the prodigal son, rejoice in their return to You. And, Lord, thank you for treated each of us as the father in this parable treated his wayward son.  Thank you, Lord, for you compassion, love and mercy and for waiting for us to return. Thank you, also, for searching for us when we squander your goodness to us in a life of selfishness and sin. I offer this prayer in Jesus' name! Amen.

God's Hidden Plan Flowing in the Current of our Lives

How often are we blown away by circumstances in our world that are unexplainable, that, in fact threaten our well-being, threaten our faith, shatter our trust: situations, not unlike the situation that Joseph, Israel's favorite son, faced when his father sent him to his brothers, who were tending their father's flock at Shechem. Joseph's brothers hated Joseph  and were jealous of him. Seeing him approach,  they plotted to kill him. Instead, at the persuasion of Rueben, their oldest brother, they sold him for 20 pieces of silver as a slave to Ismaelites, who  happened to be passing through Shechem on their way to Egypt (Genesis 37: 3-4,12-13a1b-28a).  In Egypt, Joseph was thrown into prison, bound with chains, as we are told in today's responsorial psalm, Psalm 105, "till his prediction came to pass and the word of the Lord proved him true. The king, [then,] sent and released him, the ruler of the people set him free. He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions." And it was Joseph who saved his father Israel and his brothers "when the Lord called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them" (Psalm 105).  Note the similarities between Joseph and Jesus!

God had a plan in the history of the Israelites, part of which included Joseph becoming a key instrument in his father Israel's and his brothers' being saved from famine. God also has a plan of salvation that, through His Son Jesus,  He is working out in your life and mine, in the life of our family members, in the life of all peoples. That plan may not be obvious; in fact, that God is at work at all may be something we question, as we observe what is happening around us or far from us.

As with Israel, losing his favorite son Joseph, and with his son Joseph in prison in Egypt, we are called to wait upon the Lord, to trust in God's providence. Every day, if faith is our guide, we come face to face with situations that will open our eyes to the fact that God, not ourselves,  is in charge of our lives, the lives of our loved ones--"yes," in charge of our world. We may think that we are the one's in control and then discover that such is not the case!

In circumstances that blow us out of the water, so to speak, do we despair or do we reach out in faith to the Lord, our God? If we choose the latter, we will discover how much God's imminence, His power to save us, His wisdom in guiding us, and His quickness to strengthen us in our weakness. Like Joseph, we will blossom where we are planted, no matter in which condition is the "soil."

Jesus, help us to live as Joseph lived, making the best of our situations, continuing to be women and men of integrity in both good times and "bad" times!  Also give us the wisdom of Rueben, who persuaded his brothers not to kill their brother Joseph but to save His life.  May we live by faith and follow the Spirit's nudges in all of the challenges we face any day. I ask this in Jesus' name!  Amen!

Our Vulnerability and Need for God's Help

In today's Gospel, Mark 6: 14-29, the evangelist shares with us the tragic story of King Herod, his daughter and his wife Herodias, all involved in the murder of John the Baptist.  Mark tells us that "Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.'" Herodias held a grudge against John the Baptist and wanted him killed. She got her chance when Herod, on  his birthday,  held a banquet, to which he invited "his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. At this party his daughter danced in his honor. Herod was so delighted in her dance that he offered her anything she wanted, including half his kingdom.  She asked her mother what she should request and her mother said: "The head of John the Baptist." Not wanting to go back on his promise of giving her anything she wanted, he ordered John the Baptist murdered in prison and the head brought to his wife on a platter, just as she had requested!

"Gross," you and I say. "How could he/she/they do such a thing? How horrible.  What depravity! What immorality! What kind of persons were they?" And all we have to do each day is turn on the news and some where, some place, at some time, this same scenario is played out before our very eyes! Some times the issue is romantic involvement with another person, that is coveting another man's wife or woman's husband. At other times, its greed for money or coveting material possessions that belong to another person! Or some other incomprehensible reason also conjured up by distorted thinking and out-of-control passions.

I pray: Lord, save me from myself; save us from ourselves!  How vulnerable we can be to the very emotions that blinded and deafened Herod, Herodias and their daughter!  We are not immune to harboring anger. We can become consumed by our grudges and resentments. And these can lead us to hurting others, maybe not to the extent of the persons in today's Scripture reading, but, nonetheless, to doing that which we will deeply regret.

What kind of thoughts am I, are you entertaining, and are they such from which we need to be saved!  Let us call upon Jesus to save us from ourselves.  I did that today, as I was focusing on negative  issues: a relationship problem, the state of our country and government, my fatigue and my lack of energy, and some health issues. I needed to change course. So I asked Jesus to save me from myself! By days end God helped me turn my focus back to Him!

Peace of God Be with You

In today's Gospel for Tuesday of the fifth week of Easter, John 14: 27-31, Jesus says to his disciples, that is, to you and me, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid...I am going away and I will come back to you....I am going to the Father; ....I will no longer speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has no power over me...."

"The ruler of the world is coming"!  The ruler of the world is Satan, who sows discord, jealousy, anger, prejudice, hatred, and division. Jesus says: "He has no power over me!" Neither does he have power over those who stay focused on Jesus, seek Jesus and follow Him unreservedly. We are able to do just that because  Jesus prayed for us.  He prayed that we would be one with Him as He and the Father are one and that we would carry on the work He did.  That is why He gave us His peace, saying: "My peace I give to you.....Do not let your hearts be troubled."  Filled with the peace of Jesus and of the Spirit, we are empowered to overcome fear and hatred, jealousy and anger and division.  Our union with others deepens as we foster our relationship with God in prayer and in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. Our union with God also deepens as we give our ourselves in  self-sacrificing love to one another throughout a given day!

From Whence Does Our Work Originate

In today's first reading, Acts 5: 17-26,  the Sadducees threw the Apostles into prison out of jealousy.  They were furious that the Apostles' popularity was spreading and that they were having success in witnessing to the resurrection of Jesus and the spreading of the faith!  No way were they going to allow this to happen, if possible. They did not realize that the origin of the work of the Apostles was of God, not of human orig

From whence does my work and yours originate?  Is it of God or am I/are you functioning merely from a human perspective?  If of God, the results will prove its origin. When I am functioning merely from a human perspective, it is easy to become jealous of another or to react angrily when the results of my work are not what I expected or wanted. However, if I am allowing the Spirit to lead me and I am doing that which the Lord is asking of me, I will experience what the Apostles experienced: "prison" doors become unlocked! Those unlocked "doors" may be the doors of my heart or of the hearts of others!

Let us remember, as we pray in today's responsorial psalm: "The angel of the Lord encamps around those  who fear [reverence] him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the Lord is; blessed the [one] who takes refuge in the Lord," as did the Apostles.

The Presence of Evil

In today's first reading, Jeremiah 11: 18-20,  the prophet realizes that he, "like a trusting lamb led to slaughter had not realized that [his enemies] were hatching plots against [him]."  "I knew their plot because the Lord informed me; at that time you, O Lord, showed me their doings."  As with Jeremiah, so, too, with Jesus.  Men blinded by personal ambitions felt threatened by Jesus and plotted his death.  His wisdom was too much for them. The Truth of his teachings were feared.

What happened to Jesus and to Jeremiah happens to us to this very day. Sometimes we are the one's plotted against and sometimes we are the ones doing the plotting.  Jealousy and pride can continue to consume people as they build  their ego "dynasties" or protect "dynasties" already built! Evil is born in these situations, as we witness our government leaders and leaders of other nations plotting evil against those who they see as threats.  No one is safe in these evil schemes.  People, "like a trusting lamb, [are being] led [to the] slaughter."

With Jeremiah, let us say to the Lord: [T]o you I have entrusted my cause!" Let us, also, entrust to the Lord the cause of those who have become the latest victims of the jealous rage of those building ego "dynasties". And finally let us answer the question: Am I involved in plotting evil against anyone?  Am I, have I, slaughtered anyone by  slanderous, deceitful words that led to unjust job losses or the loss of their reputation?

An Instrument in God's Hands

In today's first reading, Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a, we are presented with the story of Joseph, the youngest son of Israel whom Israel loved above all his sons and treated him as his favorite child.  Joseph's brothers grew to hate Joseph and, when Israel sent him to join them in the pasture where they were tending the sheep, they plotted to kill him. Reuben talked them out of doing so and suggested they sell him to Ishmaelites passing by on their way to Egypt. In the Gospel, Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46, we are given the parable of a landowner who planted a vineyard and leased it out to tenants.  At the time of the harvest he sent his servants to collect the produce.  The tenants beat some of the servants and killed others. So the owner sent his only son, believing that he would be respected and the produce given to him. "No!" They also killed the son.

We may respond in disbelief! However, how often have we, behind another's back, spoken ill of another person. Though we may not have plotted to commit murder, we may have "murdered" that person with harsh words and and damning judgments!   Concerning today's Scriptures, we know that God brought good out of both situations. Ruben saves Joseph from being put to death by his brothers and, in turn, Joseph, who was sold to the Israelites on their way to Egypt,  saved his brothers and his father from dying of starvation during a severe famine that hit that area. The son killed by the tenants in the parable Jesus tells the Pharisees is a foreshadow of Jesus being put to death on Calvary.

The questions I need to ponder are: Who am I in these Scripture readings? Israel playing favorites? Joseph who is given special treatment and thus hated by others denied the same favors? one of Joseph's brothers jealous of others, speaking ill of others, plotting against others? Am I a Reuben who intervenes for the sake of others? Am I one of the tenants intent on stealing the produce entrusted to me by another and resorting to whatever it takes to get what I want?  Or am I an upright, honest person, following Jesus' example?

Wisdom Admired and Recognized

In today's first reading, 1 Kings 10: 1-10, the queen of Sheba visits King Solomon to see for herself this King, of whom people spoke so highly.  She had heard about his wisdom and came to see for herself.  She was amazed. Every subject about which she inquired, King Solomon's explanation gave witness to the wisdom with which God had blessed him.  "Your wisdom and your prosperity surpass the report I heard. Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours, who stand before you also and listen to your wisdom. Blessed be the Lord,  your God whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel. In his enduring love for Israel, the Lord has made you king to carry out judgment and justice."

First of all, whom do you consult for wisdom, for insight, for knowledge of subjects in which you are interested?  Do you have the humility of Queen Sheba to seek out wisdom greater than yours? Notice Queen Sheba's response! First of all, she recognizes King Solomon's wisdom and blessings. Are you able to affirm others for the gifts God has given them or does pride or jealousy hold you back?  Secondly, Queen Sheba gives praise to God, from whom Solomon received his wisdom and riches. Do you recognize all good--that of other persons and your own--as coming from God?

As you apply this reading to yourself, you might ask yourself the following questions: who are the wisdom figures in your life?  When was the last time that you acknowledged the gifts God has given to your spouse, your children, your coworkers, yourself?  And, when you see good in others or in yourself, to whom do you give the credit?

The Need for Holy Mentors and Holy Mentoring

"In God I trust; I shall not fear," we pray in today's responsorial psalm.  In the first reading, 1 Sam 18: 6-9;  19: 1-7, Saul's son Jonathan cautions David to hide--"[m]y father Saul is trying to kill you.  ...[P]lease be on your guard tomorrow morning." So David hides! Jonathan positions himself close to his father that morning so that he can intercede on behalf of David. Jonathan knows that his father is jealous of David, whom, upon his return from killing Goliath and 10s of thousands of Philistines out to harm the nation of Israel, is lauded for his accomplishment.  In the process, the people credit Saul for killing less of Israel's enemies.

Jealousy is a powerful force and gone unchecked can lead to disastrous results. People can lose their lives and murderers their freedom. Chaos abounds for all in this web of jealousy. God protects his servant David as well as his servant Saul, using Jonathan, Saul's son, to challenge him.  "Let not your majesty sin against his servant David, for he has committed no offense against you, but has helped you very much by his deeds."  Saul listens and David is now safe in his service to Saul.

Like Saul, you and I may, at times, need someone who will intervene for us when  jealousy or other unruly passions consume us and we are out to berate another: bring harm to them by verbally   For some of us that is a spiritual director, a confessor, a dear friend, a sibling, a school counselor, a teacher). For all of us, thank God, Jesus is that person. Jesus is always on our side. Jesus will destroy "death" in us and "bring life to light [within us] through the Gospel"  (Today's gospel Acclamation).

God, forgive me when I let jealousy or any other human passion get the best of me and rule my thoughts and actions. I pray for the grace to be open to the person/s You send to me to challenge my thinking when I am off base.  May I also be open to holy reading that will redirect my thinking, to taking time to sit in Your holy  presence in a church or chapel or in my room gazing into your face upon the cross and allowing You to gaze upon me in love and mercy, transforming whatever disorder has taken hold me and purifying my heart of sinful inclinations!

"Get hold of yourselves"

Today’s Scripture readings, Numbers  12: 1-13 and Mt. 14: 22-36, give us lots upon which to reflect.  In the first reading we read about Miriam and Aaron complaining about their brother Moses and expressing their jealousy, God confronting them and then punishing them for their sinfulness, and Aaron and Moses begging for God’s mercy toward Miriam, who was struck with leprosy for her part in the sinful behaviors.  

In the Gospel, we are presented with the disciple’s “losing it,” when they see Jesus walking on the turbulent waters, believing He is a ghost, while Peter challenges Jesus to bid him come to him, if it is really He. Peter starts out bravely, then as he encounters the strong winds, gets scared and begins to sink. Jesus reaches out his hand and saves him.  Jesus rebukes the disciples, saying to them: “Get hold of yourselves” and says to Peter, as he is sinking, “How little faith you have!...Why did you falter?”

You and I are each of the characters in today's readings:  at times, Miriam and Aaron complaining about and jealous of others; Moses and Aaron begging for mercy; the disciples losing their cool, becoming frantic, anxious, believing in “ghosts” when Jesus is actually present in the disguise they misnamed; Peter, boldly setting out at God’s invitation to take the risk and then losing faith when he encountered difficulties.

Lord, over and over again, I find myself complaining about something as were Aaron and Miriam. Over and over again I find myself in turbulent waters caused by the "storms" I encounter and you bid me to come to You, to believe in You walking those same waters with me, there to save me when I sink.  Over and over again You say to me, as You said to the disciples in the boat, “Get hold of yourself. It is I. Do not be afraid.” Strengthen me when my faith is weak. Calm me when I am losing it. Encourage me when I am faltering. Save me when I am sinking. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

This is my experience. What is yours? This is my prayer, what is yours?

Jesus' Visit to our "Nazareths"

In today's Gospel, Mark 6: 1-6, Jesus visits his hometown, Nazareth, and speaks in the synagogue where He worshipped as a child.  The people are astounded by His wisdom, by the mighty deeds that He has performed. They take offense at Him:  "Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" 

Every day Jesus comes to visit us in our homes, our "Nazareths". Are our hearts open? Or are they closed by our jealousies, our prejudices, our discriminatory attitudes and behaviors toward those of different beliefs, different color, different sexual orientation, different cultures, greater or lesser intelligence, greater or lesser educational backgrounds, careers we look down upon or up to?  Are we closed to the persons in which Jesus disguises Himself, through whom Jesus sends His messages of love, mercy, wisdom; through whom Jesus challenges us?  Is Jesus unable to work His miracles in our lives for the reasons given here?

Barrenness Transformed into Fertility

Today’s first reading, Genesis 16: 10-12, relates the story of Sarai’s treatment of Hagar, her servant whom she gave to her husband Abram to bear her some sons, as she herself  was barren.  Recall that God has promised Abram that he would have descendants too numerous to count.  He makes the same promise to pregnant Hagar when she flees out into the wilderness to get away from Sarai’s abusive, jealous behavior.  God’s messenger intervenes, meets Hagar in the wilderness, comforts her, promises her an abundance, listens to her groans/complaints, instructs her on naming her unborn child and sends her back to being a servant to Sarai for the time being. God takes charge. God will bring His promises to fulfillment. That is not ours to do.  In God’s time, good will prevail, His promises will come to be. Likewise, both “Israelites” and “Ishmaelites” will be blessed.  All nations will be blessed. Yet, how often do we forget the fact that God has no favorites, as Paul tells us in Romans 2:11. 

Who am I in this Scripture passage? Sarai who ingeniously, following the law, gives Hagar, her servant to Abram, to bear the fruit that she was incapable of bearing? Like Sarai, do I look for ways to transform a barren situation into a fertile one? When I become the “fruitful” one, do I, like Hagar, look down on others less fortunate than I and, like Sarai, become jealous of those who are successful in ways that I am not?  Do I, like Hagar, flee into the wilderness  in an attempt to escape God’s plan for me when the going gets rougher than I thought it would? Who do I meet in my wildernesses? Do I recognize God’s messengers in my difficult moments or do I keep fleeing? Do I, like Hagar, brings my pain to the Lord, trusting that God will be listening?

The Power of Friendship

In today’s first reading, 1 Samuel 18: 6-9; 19: 1-7, we read of Saul’s jealous rage toward David and his fear that he would take over his kingship.  Upon his return of slaying the Philistine, David and Saul are approaching the city and are greeted by women “from each of the cities of Israel…singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums. The women played and sang: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’. Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: ‘They gave David ten thousands, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship.’ And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David” and planned to kill him.

Each of us has a Saul, a David, and a Jonathan within us.  For instance, at times, like Jonathan,  as friends of another, we may be called upon to intercede for that person, making efforts to bring sense to a raging member of the family, a parishioner, a coworker, a neighbor, a person in authority who is determined to harm a friend of ours.   We can learn a lot from Jonathan, who says to his father:  “Let not your majesty sin against…David, for he has…helped you very much by his deeds.  When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel through him, you were glad to see it.” Jonathan  does not approach his father in  anger but in wisdom. He’s thought things through before confronting Saul.  Saul listens and Jonathan's friend is saved. 

 May we, too, when called upon to do so, have the courage to stand up for our friends, for anyone in trouble. May we, like Jonathan,  bring about peace by first pointing out the good in the person “at war” with  the other, ready to act out his/her jealous rage or out-of-control anger. May we have the courage to speak up to authority on behalf of another who will harmed if the contemplated action is not  thwarted.  Gently, caringly and firmly, may we challenge choices that could lead to disaster, pain and hardship, and, yes, even death.  

David's deceitful ways

In today’s first reading, 2 Sam 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17, we are given the story of King David arranging Uriah’s death to cover up his sin. Certainly, in this incident David is cunning, narcissistic, and selfish.  He acts out of impulsiveness and passion. His behavior is irrational. Like Adam and Eve he is deceived, caught in a trap. His passion, jealousy,  envy and his determination to get what he wants , lured on by entitlement, perhaps, leads to murder, which he attempts to conceal, in much the same way as Adam and Eve and Cain attempted to hide from their own offending behaviors. Every day we human beings get caught in these traps, digging ourselves, at times, ever and ever deeper into pits of deceit and wrongdoing, securing for ourselves what we rationally believe is rightfully ours.  The thieves on the cross are every man and every woman.   Sinful maneuvers, employed consciously or unconsciously, to make others look bad and to get what we want at other people’s expense will, for most of us, be exposed here on this earth, while for others these behaviors seem to remain hidden until the day of judgment.  The Good News , however, is that God goes out in search of each one of us on a day-to-day basis, confronts us with our wrongdoing,  great or small, offers us forgiveness and invites us to the truth about ourselves over and over and over again.  What a gracious, compassionate, forgiving and reconciling God we have, a God who,  even while dying on the cross,  guarantees repentant sinners a place with Him in Paradise.