Two Sundays ago, we read about the miraculous catch of fish by Simon Peter and his companions. At the end of that Gospel passage, they abandoned everything and followed Jesus. I wonder if that makes sense. They came for the fish; Jesus helped them to catch way more fish than they expected. Why did they not take the fish home, eat the much they could, and sell the rest to make more money? Simon Peter and his companions chose the relationship with Jesus over the fish; they chose the giver of the gift over the gift. They realized that the giver of the gift was greater than the gift.
In today’s first reading, King Saul and his soldiers were after the life of the young man, David. Do you remember how it all started? King Saul was a victim of envy and jealousy. David had protected and defended the Israelites against the terror of Goliath. After his defeat of Goliath, the women began to sing in praise of David against Saul. But Saul wanted to have the praise the women gave David. Saul was afraid of losing his throne to David. So, he went after David’s life. In today’s passage, while he was chasing David, Saul and his soldiers fell asleep. David and his nephew, Abishai, also a warrior, came very close to the sleeping Saul and his soldiers. Abishai whispered to David: “God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I will not need a second thrust!” But in reply, David said, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?” Rather than take revenge, David went by the Scripture that says, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm” (1 Chronicles 16:22).
David had every justification to strike Saul. He protected Saul and the Israelites from Goliath. David also remained humble after he defeated Goliath. He did not tell the women to sing his praises. Yet, Saul was after his life. David would have used the justification of self-defense to strike Saul; he would have rejoiced that God delivered his enemy, Saul, into his hands, but he preferred his relationship with God. David preferred to leave everything in God’s hands. He preferred to respect the anointing of the LORD on Saul despite Saul’s evil intentions against him.
As Christians, we have many Sauls around us. My dear sisters and brothers, who are the Sauls in your lives? When God eventually delivers them into your hands, what will you do with them? In your place of work, you have these co-workers who have teamed up against you and are doing everything possible to bring you down. By some divine intervention, you have been promoted, you are now their supervisor/manager. When the time comes for annual evaluation, what will you write regarding such co-workers? As a seminarian, another seminarian fabricated some false allegations against you to get you expelled from the seminary. By some divine intervention, you are ordained a priest before that seminarian. Let’s say the seminarian is posted on pastoral work to the parish where you pastor. At the end of his pastoral work/internship with you, what kind of report will you write regarding this Seminarian Saul? As a priest, another priest maliciously writes a report against you unbeknownst to you. By some divine orchestration, you become the bishop of the diocese. You have access to the file, and you figure out the Father Saul, who planned to bring you down, innocent as you were. What will you do with the spear in your hands? In your family, you have a relative who did everything to stop you from going to school or getting a job. They were against your progress in life. But because God is on your side, you have made it in life with a well-paying job. The relative in question is now languishing in illness and poverty and needs your assistance. What response will you have for this family member?
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus continues to challenge us; he says, “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” One thing I find very difficult about this teaching from Jesus is that he has not defined the enemy he is talking about. I would have found it easier if he had said, “Love those enemies who have realized their faults and have come to apologize to you.” Or “Love those enemies who mistakenly offended you.” He did not say any of such. He wants us to love all our enemies.
Such is the reality of the Christian life. It is not an easy life. It is like swimming against the current. It entails being foolish in human eyes. Jesus not only taught it, but he also lived this out himself. Remember, while being nailed to the cross, he prayed for those who took him to the cross. He not only prayed for them, but he also became their attorney; he gave a defense for their offense; he said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” How hard it is to be a Christian. Whoever lives the Christian life and claims it is easy is not living the true Christian life.
We now have the choice to make between protecting our relationship with God and protecting our ego. David said, “I cannot harm the LORD’s anointed.” What about you? Can you say, “I cannot strike this person because no matter how evil they may be, God created them in his image and likeness”? Before we talk about forgiving to go to heaven, let us begin it from here. When we forgive, we have a reward right now. Forgiveness benefits us emotionally more than it does those who offend us. It frees us from the burdens of anger and bitterness. Grudges do not help. Holding grudges is like drinking poison and hoping that the other person dies from the poison. So, we must choose wisely.
My dearly beloved Christ, loving those who hate us is not as easy as it sounds. That is why we keep hanging on to God’s as we pray that God may forgive us our sins and help us to forgive those who sin against us until we come to our heavenly inheritance through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Homily for 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 2025
A long one but wise words.
Thanks Fada!
Keith