We are drawn in Ignatian reflection to the scene of the readings of the day. The surroundings, people, smells, and terrain are set. Today as we read from 1Samuel, King Saul is searching for David who had fled to the desert of Ziph. The Judean desert was, and is, a gritty, barren, hiding place and rendezvous area for many who are fleeing from authorities or ascetics who wish to avoid the mental clutter of everyday life. 

King Saul, madly jealous of David, was in active pursuit of him. Saul camped for the night, his guards and army around his tent.   The king was, in fact, so close to David that David and his nephew, Abishai, were able to stealthily enter Saul’s tent where he and his guards were in a deep miraculous sleep. They could have killed Saul with his own spear, but David would not allow his nephew to kill Saul; Saul was the “anointed of God.” King Saul, blessed by God, anointed, was “delivered into David’s grasp.” This was not an instance of God abandoning His anointed one, but possibly a test of David’s respect and reverence for God’s will. We wonder why David and Abishai, with murderous intent, would enter a hostile encampment of 3000 men, find Saul sleeping, yet pass the opportunity to “nail him to the ground” with his own spear.” They instead took Saul’s spear and water jug. They had, no doubt, diminished Saul and caused him to fear and to ponder his own weakness and exposure to the enemy.  David had chosen, as he would later write in Psalm 103, to show mercy to his enemy because “God is kind, merciful, and gracious...slow to anger and abounding in kindness.” 

We all have guidance from God; we do not always internalize and act on it. David, it seems, acted on God’s guidance at a critical time. David, often did struggle in his life to follow God’s word; he was, to say the least, not always successful. Later in his life, he did provide psalms, a beautiful way for us to understand the essence of God, and literally to sing His praise.

St. Paul writes to his brothers and sisters in Corinth about our relationship to Jesus Christ, the life-giving heavenly spirit, “the last Adam,” who is of both heaven and earth. Paul discusses our earthly nature as creatures formed from the dust of earth, as the first Adam was. He tells us that the “last Adam” [I infer Jesus} is both earthly and heavenly. He triumphed over earthly death and nothingness by bringing to us the possibility of eternal life. Paul points out that “we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.” Through Jesus’ birth and life as a human and his spiritual life-giving, heavenly nature, we are his brothers and sisters through baptism in Christ. 

The alleluia (Jn 13:34) beautifully introduces the gospel reading (Lk 6:27-38). I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: “love one another as I have loved you.”    “Hear what I say” Jesus says to the disciples. Every Christian has heard. Every Christian knows that Jesus concisely tells us to love one another and to react to hate or injustice with love.  Jesus knows that this is difficult. He sets an extremely high standard to be a disciple, a Christian.  We are instructed not merely to do or love what is natural for us, but rather, to fight against our often reflexive human tendencies, e.g., to fight back (even vengefully); to be selfish and proud; to hate those who hate us; to hate even those who do not hate us.  Jesus reminds us that “even sinners love those who love them.” This gospel is not a puzzle. It is an instruction on Christian living. If we follow it, Jesus tells us, “Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he Himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.”

Give your love and mercy to others; you will be repaid “measure for measure.” Be sure that your measure is “packed together, shaken down, overflowing,” and we humans may survive in peace, harmony, and love for one another as God intends. It will certainly take effort. Pray for the strength to follow Jesus’ way.