Daily Retreat 01/31/06

2006 Jan 31 Tue: John Bosco, p, rf M

2 Sm 18: 9-10. 14b. 24-25a. 30 – 19: 3/ Ps 85(86): 1-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Mk 5: 21-43

From today’s readings: "If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!... Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to You I call all the day.... Talitha koum, which means, Little girl, I say to you, arise!"

David’s Sons

Everyone knows David, and we’ve all read of his son Solomon, but, in fact, David had many children (cf. 1Chronicles 3), a number of whom, however, were degenerate: Amnon, David’s firstborn, raped his sister; Adonijah, another son, tried to establish himself as heir apparent in his father’s final days, and Absalom, David’s third son, led a full-blown rebellion against his father.

Absalom’s revolt is recorded in chapters 15-18 of the Second Book of Samuel. Today’s first reading recounts the tragic end of the rebellion, when Absalom was killed by Joab, and when the news is reported to the king, his heart breaks, even in spite of Absalom’s sedition.

It’s easy to understand David’s no-win predicament: as king, the death of Absalom the rebel was a victory; as father, the death of Absalom his son was a disconsolate tragedy. In the end, notwithstanding his own character defects, David’s broken heart proved he was first a father, then a king....