David vs. Saul

Homily for Friday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary TIme

The account of the turbulent relations of David and Saul continues in today’s reading from the First Book of Samuel. Despite reconciliation between the two, Saul is once again, several chapters later, in pursuit of David.

Turbulence was not merely the quality of relations between the two men; it was also characteristic of David’s whole life. As we know from elsewhere in Scripture, David models heroism and magnanimity as well as dastardly crimes and violence. Seeing his generous and reverential treatment of his foe, King Saul, in today’s reading, we are warned against putting any human being into some too narrow box.

We are all capable of virtue and vice. Knowing that, we should be less willing to give up on others, less willing to predict for sure that they will fulfill our negative view of them. This can be especially true of people that we have known our whole lives. Everyone is capable of change. To hang onto a negative viewpoint simply because we knew them when they were younger makes it difficult to see the possibility of change in ourselves, as well as in others.

Genuine leaders in many areas of life are often characterized by their willingness to put some trust in a woman or man who has evidenced some real feelings. One example of this comes to mind from a favorite novel of mine, A Tale of Two Cities. At the beginning of the novel, we meet Sydney Carton who is something of a drunken reprobate. Yet it is he who becomes the hero of that novel.

Perhaps such trust was operative in Jesus’ choice of the twelve apostles, a trust in what good they could do, despite their weaknesses.