Thursday.....

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Today is Thursday, January 23, 2014.

Good Morning.

A thought for the day:
Envy is deadly, silent, and universal; like glaucoma, it destroys our eyesight.


The Church’s 1st reading for today: 1 Samuel chapter 18 verses 6-9; 19:1-7

When David and Saul approached
(on David’s return after slaying the Philistine),
women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,
singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums.
The women played and sang:

“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”

Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought:
“They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me.
All that remains for him is the kingship.”
And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.

Saul discussed his intention of killing David
with his son Jonathan and with all his servants.
But Saul’s son Jonathan, who was very fond of David, told him:
“My father Saul is trying to kill you.
Therefore, please be on your guard tomorrow morning;
get out of sight and remain in hiding.
I, however, will go out and stand beside my father
in the countryside where you are, and will speak to him about you.
If I learn anything, I will let you know.”

Jonathan then spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him:
“Let not your majesty sin against his servant David,
for he has committed no offense against you,
but has helped you very much by his deeds.
When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine,
and the LORD brought about a great victory
for all Israel through him,
you were glad to see it.
Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood
by killing David without cause?”
Saul heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore,
“As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed.”
So Jonathan summoned David and repeated the whole conversation to him.
Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and David served him as before.

* * *

Envy is a hissing hot coal from hell's hearth. Envy waves her wand and a prince savagely surveys a shepherd's success. A shepherd who is also a soldier. A harpist who has become a hero. A popular peasant who has climbed the Everest of adversity.

The King Saul’s eyes are so emerald with envy that his pupils resemble shamrocks. Like a Fourth of July watermelon, he is green on the outside, while red with rage on the inside. He is like those envious blind men described by Dante in The Purgatorio, men so blinded by envy that their eyelids have been sewn together for all eternity as punishment.

The final vote has been cast in the primary, and the King has been crushed by a young upstart. How could he allow this to happen? Like a tidal wave spitting with foamy fury at the coastline, this young man David has been spewed down the throat of Saul. Saul has been made to swallow the young Shepherd’s success.

Poor Saul.

What could you possibly say to Saul?


God bless,
Father Pat



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