1 Sam 26:2,7-9,12-13,22-23; Ps 102(103); 1 Cor 15: 45-49; Luke 6: 27-38
In the first book of Samuel, Saul, Israel’s first king, became unreasonably jealous of David, his anointed successor, and tried to kill him. Saul entered a cave where David and his men were hiding, but David merely cut off a piece of Saul’s cloak. Then David crept into Saul’s camp but only took away his spear. David believed it wrong to kill an anointed king, preferring to put his trust in God.
The psalm offers grateful thanks and praise to God that his mercy is so great because of our frailty.
In last Sunday’s reading Paul had insisted to the Corinthians that Christ’s resurrection is essential to our faith. In today’s reading Paul quotes Genesis saying that the first Adam became a living soul. But the last Adam, Christ, became a life-giving spirit. Therefore, after the earthly man, there must be a heavenly man, whose body is animated by the Holy Spirit. Now we are modelled on the earthly man, subject to natural death. After the resurrection of the body we will be modelled on the heavenly man.
In Luke’s Gospel Jesus takes David’s restraint further: do good to your enemies, do not judge or condemn lest you suffer the same. In the Lord’s Prayer we ask for forgiveness, but the pre-condition is that we forgive others.
Psalm Response: The Lord is compassion and love.