Homily, 1-29-24; Monday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time:
King David committed adultery. And then, when the woman became pregnant, he tried to cover things up by having her husband killed and then bringing her into his own house as his wife. The great David was also a great sinner. God told him; “Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” God punished David by taking the young child that was born out of adultery away from him. David mourned but he would continue to suffer for his sin. In a battle for power over the kingdom, his son Absalom killed another of his sons, Amnon. And then Absalom plotted to take over his father kingdom. In our story today, David and many from the kingdom are leaving the city to avoid execution by Absalom. And as they walk along they are being harassed and cursed by Shimei.
Instead of having his soldiers dispatch Shimei for disrespecting the king, David humbly accepts his punishment and says: “Suppose the LORD has told him to curse David; who then will dare to say, ‘Why are you doing this?’ If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life, how much more might this Benjaminite do so? Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day.”
David accepted God’s will trusting that it will benefit him in the long run. One can almost see the tragedies and humiliation that beset David as a form of temporal punishment for his sinfulness—a bit of Purgatory on earth.
We can reflect on whether we have that same strength as David to accept tragedies and abuse as God’s will—the will of God who knows best what is good for us. When we are being attacked, how do we respond? Do we say as David: “Suppose the Lord has told him to attack me. Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits.”