Don’t Be Ungrateful 不要忘恩負義

Seventh Ordinary Sunday, Year C
Theme: Don’t Be Ungrateful 不要忘恩負義

Without God’s help, it is impossible to put our faith into practice because we are faulty and fragile. Last week, Jesus told us that true happiness lies in poverty (Luke 6:20). To be candid, who wants to remain poor in a commercial city like Hong Kong these days? Who doesn’t want to work harder and earn more money, to save up or to invest for the future? Today, Jesus goes further by challenging us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek when people strike us etc. (6:27; 29). Who don’t want to strike back when unprovoked, bullies start abusing us physically! Unless our survival is under threat, we will definitely stand up to defend our dignity. Jesus has a big heart and prayed for those who crucified him, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (23:34a). He has demonstrated the possibility of showing mercy towards our enemies. As genuine followers of Christ, we too should be doing similar if not the same things. Do not think that Christians are standing on a higher moral ground than the Israelites in the Old Testament. The first reading today refutes our pride and our vainglory.

Saul, the first Israelite king lost favour with God who after King Saul’s disobedience, anointed and appointed David “after His own heart” to be the next ruler of His people (1 Samuel 13:14). Saul was unable to contain his jealousy and attempted to have David killed by the hands of the Philistines but failed (18:17; 25). “Then Saul realized that the LORD was with David … So Saul feared David all the more and was his enemy ever after” (18:28-29). Saul’s story was a tragedy. In the first reading today, we read of the story of how David spared Saul the second time! Previously in a cave occupied by David and his men in the desert near Engedi (24:2) Saul was relieving himself. He was careless not to send his men to clear the cave before he entered! Inside the cave, David listened to the suggestion of his servants, but instead of killing Saul, David simply cut off an end of Saul’s robe. David was so stealthy that Saul was not aware of it until David showed himself and called out after Saul had gone on his way. Perhaps God had made David invisible! What was David’s motive in sparing Saul? The same reason we heard today the second time he spared Saul. Like last time, Saul pursued David with 3000 elite soldiers. This time, King Saul had learnt his lesson. At night, “Saul was lying within the camp, and all his soldiers were bivouacked around him” (26:5b). David and his companion Abishai reached the encampment. Abishai offered to spear Saul to the ground with just one strike for David but David stopped him saying, “Do not harm him, for who can lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed and remain innocent?” (26:9) David was surely the apple of God’s eye (Psalms 17:8). Instead of allowing Abishai to nail King Saul to the ground, David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head, “and they withdrew without anyone seeing or knowing or awakening. All remained asleep, because a deep slumber from the LORD had fallen upon them” (26:12b)! Sounds familiar, huh?

Indeed, even without conjuring the “variable of God”, David’s decision was the best strategy! From his defeat of Goliath and all subsequent military successes, David believed that God was on his side, fighting for him. But he was still a fugitive running away from the murderous attempts of the LORD’s anointed one! He had not yet gathered sufficient military strength to confront and combat King Saul. Meanwhile, King Saul was losing the hearts of the people and his madness was worsening. In particular, Saul ordered Doeg the Edomite to kill all 85 priests and slaughtered all living things in the priestly city of Nob (22:18-19) because they had given David and his men shelter and food! Why did Saul order an Edomite to kill the priests? It was because his own guards “refused to raise a hand to strike the priest of the LORD” (22:17b). It was only a matter of time for King Saul to fall and David would surely outlived him if he was patient and careful enough! Had David killed Saul, he would have failed to win the people to his side. I am sure David must have had pity on King Saul who led a life like a wounded animal caged inside his kingship and tortured by his own jealousy and fear. Authority corrupts indeed! Even the king after God’s own heart was not exempted. In the future, David would commit a sin similar to that of King Saul’s after he had sat on the throne. He secretly ordered his commander Joab to send Uriah to the front of the besieged city Rabbath and let the Ammonites kill Uriah to cover up his affair with Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife (2 Samuel 11:14)! Sounds familiar, huh? Even the king after God’s own heart was flawed and fragile.

The gospel text that touched my heart today is, “But rather, love your enemies …, for He [the Most High] Himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” (Luke 6:35d)! I’m sure none of us sitting in the pews are wicked, but we can be ungrateful, particularly for those of us who are advanced in age and positions! People in position would feel that they have sacrificed and contributed a lot to the well-being of the others. The subordinates should at least show gratitude and respect to them more often than they do! In short, people in position have less opportunities to be grateful! Similarly, foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong would be deeply hurt when their family members are ungrateful after they have made all those sacrifices in order to improve the living conditions of their families back home. They have sacrificed their time, their youthfulness and their relationships so that their loved ones may have a fuller life, a better off life back home! Their ungratefulness must have felt like Judas’ betrayal!

Beloved brethren! Very often, we cherish a short-sighted sense of justice in which we expect an “exchange of equivalence”, namely “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21). My experience tells me that when I was able to lend you money, say ten thousand dollars, I could spare it. When I am able to work and sacrifice for my loved ones, I am still healthy. When I am able to contribute to the society in high positions, I am simply discharging the duties expected of me. Suppose you returned the full amount of debt later, I could not care less because I did not need it. However, when I was in need of money, then the ten thousand you returned would mean more than ten thousand to me! Even if you failed to repay me when I was in deep financial troubles, I believe that God shall provide (Genesis 22:8). Just pray for me if you are still unable to repay me. Today, Jesus says, “Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back” (Luke 6:30). Implicitly, Christ is saying that He shall provide and pay you back when you are in need (16:9). This is the hope we should enkindle in whoever is in despair during this Jubilee. Amen.
God bless!

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2022 Reflection
Picture Credit: creator.nightcafe.studio