Dear Friends,
If the name Abishai was called for on the Jeopardy category “Biblical Figures”,
most of us would probably miss the answer. Abishai only appears
once - in 1Kings - as David’s military
advisor. But obscure as he is, Abishai lives on today.
Here’s the backstory to today’s reading from 1Kings.
The older Saul and the still young David were in conflict,
battling over a kingdom. Saul was about to kill David, when David fled, with
Saul’s army in fruitless pursuit. As our reading today unfolds, David has a
stroke of luck. David and his friends come upon Saul, asleep, unguarded and
defenseless. “Kill him,” Abishai whispers to David. But David refuses. Saul is
his king, the Lord’s anointed. Trusting in God’s wisdom and power, David leaves
Saul to God to deal with. But David did take Saul’s spear as proof he had stood
over Saul and had a choice to kill him or not.
Can you imagine how Abishai might have reacted to David’s
refusal to heed his advice? “What kind of fool are you, David? Saul would kill
you if he could. If you don’t kill him first, he will do away with you. Act
now, David! Here’s your chance. Kill Saul! ” Later, David would tell why he
didn’t follow Abishai’s advice. David chose to be guided by mercy, justice and
compassion. Saul, in turn, moved by David’s thinking, entered into a kind of
peace with David.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus stands with David over against
Abishai. Jesus, too, urges his followers
to choose mercy, justice and compassion when dealing with conflict. Teaching
his followers a Godlike generosity, Jesus wants us to do good to those who have done evil to us.
How hard it is to break the cycle of violence, hatred and
evil by returning compassion for violence, love for hatred and good for evil.
What a challenge it is to live this way.
Abishai is alive and well in our world today. Is it his
voice, urging you onto strike back,that you listen to? Who is the mentor of the
moment who seems to have the answer that will solve everything? Today’s
Abishai, cloaked in modern terms, tells us that unless we attack those who
attack us, all is lost. Jesus and David would have it otherwise. They resist
the undertow of revenge and tell us to do likewise. These readings are a lesson
for world leaders about how to treat their own people as well as their enemies,
but they are also a lesson for me. How about my own
tendencies to be aggressive and violent in my personal relationships? My own
ways might be more subtle and calculated, but Abishai whispers in my ear too.
Abishai becomes active in me when I strike back against those who harm me.
Begone, Abishai. Come to me, Jesus. Stand with me, David.
Help me not to judge, or condemn, or find novel ways of
striking back.
Help me to pardon, give, love, forgive, be compassionate and
just.
-Sister Joan Sobala
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