Reading 1 1 Sm 24:3-21
Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel
and went in search of David and his men
in the direction of the wild goat crags.
When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave,
which he entered to relieve himself.
David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.
David's servants said to him,
"This is the day of which the LORD said to you,
'I will deliver your enemy into your grasp;
do with him as you see fit.'"
So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle.
Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off
an end of Saul's mantle.
He said to his men,
"The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master,
the LORD's anointed, as to lay a hand on him,
for he is the LORD's anointed."
With these words David restrained his men
and would not permit them to attack Saul.
Saul then left the cave and went on his way.
David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul,
"My lord the king!"
When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul:
"Why do you listen to those who say,
'David is trying to harm you'?
You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you
into my grasp in the cave.
I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead.
I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord,
for he is the LORD's anointed and a father to me.'
Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold.
Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you,
see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion.
I have done you no wrong,
though you are hunting me down to take my life.
The LORD will judge between me and you,
and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case.
I shall not touch you.
The old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes forth wickedness.'
So I will take no action against you.
Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel?
Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!
The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you.
May he see this, and take my part,
and grant me justice beyond your reach!"
When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered,
"Is that your voice, my son David?"
And Saul wept aloud.
Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I;
you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.
Great is the generosity you showed me today,
when the LORD delivered me into your grasp
and you did not kill me.
For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed?
May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.
And now, I know that you shall surely be king
and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 57:2, 3-4, 6 And 11
R. (2a) Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
I call to God the Most High,
to God, my benefactor.
May he send from heaven and save me;
may he make those a reproach who trample upon me;
may God send his mercy and his faithfulness.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Gospel Mk 3:13-19
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Meditation: 1 Samuel 24:3-21
“The Lord will exact justice from you in my case. I shall not touch you.” (1 Samuel 24:13)
Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, is a story of revenge that ends in tragedy. In seeking to avenge his father’s murder, Prince Hamlet ends up causing the death of just about the entire court of Denmark—including himself.
In today’s first reading, David shows a better way. David is being hunted down by Saul, who is jealous of the young man’s success and wants to kill him. David has the perfect chance to kill Saul when Saul enters a cave where David is hiding. But David doesn’t—he decides to leave justice in God’s hands.
Can we trust God with our need to see justice done? The answer is a resounding “yes.” God is justice. For the sake of justice, he sent his Son to die for our sins. He didn’t want death for us; he wanted life! That’s the justice—and the mercy—of God!
Our heavenly Father knows that revenge hurts the person who seeks it more than the person who is targeted. Revenge is always coupled with bitterness and resentment—an infection that can overtake us and lead us away from God. Remember that on Judgment Day, we will have to give God an account of our actions, even those intended to hurt someone else, no matter how “just” it seemed at the time.
We may not want to see people killed, but we may well want to steal their happiness so that they can somehow “pay” for their injustice to us. And so we may give our spouse the silent treatment, or we may start a rumor about a co-worker, or we may refuse to help a neighbor in need. Whatever the situation, revenge is never the solution; it only causes more suffering and injustice.
How differently things would turn out if we could catch ourselves when we are hurt and turn to the Lord for healing and comfort! How much easier it would be to surrender the matter into God’s hands, as David did. Then we can be assured that he will see justice done—in his time and in his way!
“Father, even in small ways, I don’t want to ‘get back’ at someone who has hurt me. Instead, I turn to you. Heal my hurting heart, and give me the grace to trust in your justice and mercy.”
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