Daily Readings - Sun Feb 24 2019
1 Samuel
2So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.7So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him.8Then said Abishai to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."9But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD's anointed and be guiltless?"12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul's head, and they went away. No man saw it or knew it, nor did any awake, for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.13Then David went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them.22And David answered and said, "Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it.23The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the LORD gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the LORD's anointed.24Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation."25Then Saul said to David, "Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them." So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1 Corinthians
45Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.46But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.47The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.48As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.49Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
Luke
27"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.29To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.30Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.31And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.32"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.34And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.36Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;38give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
Sermon
The readings today present us with powerful lessons about mercy, compassion, and the call to live according to a higher standard of love and justice. In the first reading from 1 Samuel, David is faced with the opportunity to kill Saul, his persecutor, but he chooses instead to spare his life. This act of restraint is not born of weakness but of a deep respect for God’s anointed and a commitment to trust in divine justice. David’s actions reveal a man who, despite being wronged, refuses to stoop to vengeance and instead leaves the matter in God’s hands. This is a profound example of mercy in action, even in the face of great provocation.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the theological truth of our nature and destiny. Paul contrasts Adam, the earthly man, with Christ, the heavenly man, emphasizing that just as we bear the image of the former, we are called to bear the image of the latter. This means living not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit, embracing a life of holiness and love. The Gospel reading from Luke then takes this theological truth and makes it practical. Jesus calls us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, and to treat others as we would want to be treated. He reminds us that true greatness is not in seeking revenge or returning evil for evil, but in imitating God’s mercy and generosity.
These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the transformative power of mercy and the call to live as children of the Most High. David’s refusal to harm Saul, Paul’s teaching on the new life in Christ, and Jesus’ command to love our enemies all challenge us to move beyond the cycle of retaliation and instead to embrace a way of life marked by forgiveness, compassion, and trust in God. In our daily lives, this means facing conflicts and difficulties with a spirit of humility and mercy, choosing to see others through the lens of God’s love rather than our own wounded pride. Let us strive to imitate God’s mercy, knowing that it is through such acts of love and forgiveness that we truly reflect the image of the heavenly man, Jesus Christ.