Fr. Paul Campbell’s article for February 18^th Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-12, 22-23                        1 Cor 15: 45-49                        Lk 6: 27-38

Have you ever wondered where the phrase “stick it to him” came from?  Neither have I.  Yet this week’s readings contain the phrase.  David had been running from Saul and his army.  Saul, motivated by jealousy, was trying to destroy David whom he perceived to be a threat to his thrown.  So one evening while Saul and his men were sleeping David and Abishai “went among Saul’s soldiers and found Saul lying asleep with his spear thrust into the ground by his head”.  Abishai then says “Let me nail him to the ground with the thrust of the spear, I will not need a second thrust”.   Besides being an answer to some question in Trivial Pursuit there is a lesson here.  Every one of his has found himself in this position.   We had an opportunity to stick someone with our words or actions.  Our justification was that they deserved it and if Judge Judy had reviewed the case she would have concurred.  Yet what is really worth noting here is David’s reaction.  David says, “Do him no harm, for who can lay hands on the Lord’s anointed and remain unpunished?”  David chooses to walk away.  Granted he took Saul’s spear and a water jug but he used them to provide an opportunity for reconciliation.  The next day he called out from a hilltop “Here is the king’s spear, let an attendant come over and get it” In essence he used the opportunity he had the night before not for vengeance but for reconciliation.  How do we handle those moments?  Spiritual growth begins when we walk away.  The next step is reconciliation.  What does reconciliation with another look like?  The scripture commentators tell us they reached a “certain level” of reconciliation.  It is important for us to be realistic in our attempts at human reconciliation.  If events are relatively peaceful in a relationship we should be satisfied.  The total reconciliations that end like a Hallmark movie usually don’t happen.  Spiritual growth certainly takes place when we decide to move away from sticking others to some type of reconciliation and respect.   Yet in the gospel Jesus challenges his followers to even deeper growth.  He tells his followers “If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?  Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back their same amount”   Often when we attempt reconciliation by extending ourselves we expect reciprocity.  In the story of David and Saul, Saul actually blesses David.  Yet Jesus is challenging us to “love our enemies and do good to them and lend expecting nothing back” For Jesus, true love involves no reciprocity. Often our enemies may not be capable of returning love.  Before we talk about world politics, let’s talk about work, our friends and families.  How much reciprocity do we expect in those relationships?  What happens if we don’t receive it?  Jesus suggests “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.  Forgive and you will be forgiven Give and gifts will be given to you”.  The next time we have our noses out of joint because someone has not responded to our charitable gesture we should take that energy and do an exercise.   Sit down with a legal sized note pad and jot down all the dumb things you have done in your life.  If you can’t fill a couple of pages, you are lying to yourself.  After that spend some time thinking about the amount of human forgiveness you have received.  Then you will be able to understand the next stage of growth.  That is saintly love which turns the other cheek.