Daily Retreat 01/20/06

2006 Jan 20 Fri: Ordinary Weekday/ Fabian, pp, mt/ Sebastian, mt

1 Sm 24: 3-21/ Ps 56(57): 2. 3-4. 6 and 11/ Mk 3: 13-19

From today’s readings: "Whom are you pursuing? Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.... 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."

Whom are you pursuing? Who is pursuing you?

The encounter between Saul and David in the first reading highlights the underlying differences in their characters: Saul, driven by nothing but spiteful jealousy, is pursuing David with intent to kill; David, with the providential opportunity to put an end to Saul, instead gallantly shows him the meaning of mercy.

Is your own character more like Saul’s, or like David’s? Granted that you’re not pursuing anyone with intent to kill, yet is there someone you are harassing in some fashion? If you would deny that, perhaps the better question to ask is, who perceives you as an enemy, and why? And then ask yourself, who is pursuing you? How do you treat those who plague and provoke you? When given the upper hand as David was, do you seize the moment to settle the score, or do you know how to be merciful and gallantly take the initiative in committing yourself to reconciliation?