Daily Reflection for Monday, February 3, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Monday’s readings at this link:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/020320.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 3:2-7
Gospel: Mark 5:1-20
Our reflection on Monday’s readings:
“Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.” 2 Samuel 16:11
If someone cursed and threw rocks at me as I approached, my gut instinct would be to run screaming in the opposite direction.
If I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by soldiers and one of them offered to chop off the cursing, rock hurler’s head, I would be tempted to accept his generous offer. But I am not a fan of lopping off heads, even in the most extreme circumstances.
I hope I would be strong enough to walk away without engaging and pray for reconciliation. I don’t think I could suggest to my entourage that my adversary was attacking me because God told him to.
King David was attacked by Shimei, an angry, rock-hurling, dust-kicking relative of Saul. There was a lot of bad blood between them. One might even argue that Shimei was justified in attacking David. David was far from perfect.
David didn’t order his men to seize, kill, or even condemn Shimei. He suggested that his tormenter was being led by God to curse him.
Our 2020 lenses are clouded by the pervasive notion that if someone isn’t with you, they’re against you. Every argument must have a clear right and wrong answer. It is a struggle to consider that someone with an opposing belief could be led there by God.
Often I am guilty of praying for another to see things my way, the right way, God’s way. I pray that God will bring “the other” to his senses so we can move forward.
Fr. Richard Rohr said, “It is amazing how religion has turned the biblical idea of faith around 180 degrees—into a need and even a right to certain knowing, complete predictability, and perfect assurance about whom and what God likes or doesn’t like. Why do we think we can have the Infinite Mystery of God in our quite finite pocket?”
Rohr suggests that when are able to embrace a mature, contemplative, love-centered form of Christianity, we will open to what other people and traditions can teach us.*
Lord, help me let go of my certainty, arrogance, and perceived control over Your will. Instead, open me to seeing your hand in all things—even those things that are hurtful or harmful to me. Help me to walk in peace until the time Your plan is fully revealed.
May God’s Peace Be With You,
Trina Wurst
* Rohr, Richard. “Soul Knowledge.” Center for Action and Contemplation, January 28, 2020. https://cac.org/soul-knowledge-2020-01-28/