2 Samuel 18: Recklessness
Thursday, May 23, 2024
Pieter de Grebber: King David in Grief (detail)
When we examine the story of David and his son Absalom, and see that sometimes we cling to outmoded ideas or dangerous people. We humans seem to prefer the devil we know to the one we do not. We make a way to survive with the horror we experience rather than set boundaries against the craziness of the world. This is the fine line we walk between forgiving transgression and accepting abuse. This is the difference between pardon and leniency. It is the distinction we draw between recklessness and prudence.
Absalom is the favored child who does as he likes; he is coddled and feels entitled. We see many examples of this in our current world – men and women who take what they like from whomever they like, pitted against the innocent who are open and trusting. It is an uneven match and we wonder why God does not protect the naïve and unknowing more.
In today’s reading we see the dreadful end of Absalom, the favored child who abused his father who had given him so much. We also watch the mourning of the father who believes he has recently lost a child without understanding that he had lost him years before.
As Jesus reminds us, we cannot put new wine into old skins. (Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:21-22 and Luke 5:33-39) We cannot sew new patches on old sleeves. We are called by our maker to transform ourselves, to move beyond our old form and style, to become new in Christ. For just as the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New, as the old Covenant is re-written on the new heart, so are we called to make a place for a clean spirit, so are we called to sit at the city gate to indicate that we have returned – but in a new form.
In this season when we celebrate resurrection and new life, let us be determined that when we are fuddled by the line between compassion and acceptance of violence against one’s self, we will examine our lives in light of the Gospel to see if our suffering bears fruit or draws us down. In recent days at Mass we have been reminded that we are the fruit bearing branches of the vine that is Christ. We are nothing and do nothing except through the Creator. There is no secret thought; we keep no actions from the Spirit. We belong to God and our lives are transformed when we understand this.
From the mini-reflection in today’s MAGNIFICAT we read in reference to Acts 16:1-10: “Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number”. This was due in large part to Paul and Timothy’s attentive docility and obedience to the Holy Spirit. They had been chosen “out of the world” by Jesus. When we act out of belonging, conscious that we do not “belong to the world”, we change the world”.
And this is how we address the recklessness and violence we see around us. We take on Christ, we go to the Creator, and we allow our transformation in the Spirit. In this way, we pray that we do not come to harm when the violence of the world threatens us. And we pray that when the violence of the world does invade our lives – as it surely will – we will have the courage, strength and clarity to witness with attentive docility and obedience to the Holy Spirit. We pray that we remind ourselves of our true belonging. And we pray for the lost souls of those who have been sucked into the cycle of danger and fear. In this way we change the world. Amen.
A Favorite from May 8, 2010.
Cameron, Peter John, Rev., ed. “Mini-Reflection.” MAGNIFICAT. 8 May 2010. Print.
Image from: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/you-were-made-to-live-for-greatness
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