David and Saul had a tumultuous relationship. Saul hated David, and hunted him down to kill him. You would think that David would share this animosity. But not so. More in a sec. Our Gospel reading today is from Mark 3; the listing of the Twelve Apostles.
Saul was hunting David down. He steps into a cave; the very one in which David is hiding. This is David’s opportunity to kill Saul. But David doesn’t. He confronts Saul, and tells him that he will not kill him; that the Lord will judge between the two of them. It is an act of great mercy. And Saul recognizes this. He says to David words that can be some of the hardest to come out of our mouths. “You are in the right rather than I.”
Why is is so hard to admit that we are wrong, and someone else is right? Our vision gets blinded by pride, jealousy, envy, self-righteousness. And often, the more we dig in our heels, the more we are consumed by our wrong. Saul was given a great grace; to recognize that he was in the wrong. David’s mercy helped to open his eyes. Can you help open someone’s eyes today through mercy? Can you ask God to open your eyes to something that you may be in the wrong about?
Father, give us the grace to admit when we are in the wrong. Teach us to show mercy to others, even those who have wronged us. Amen.
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