Today we see Saul’s expression that he wanted to kill David. The people had asked for a king. Their king is God, but they wanted a king and the Lord gave them a king. Saul he was the first, but he was deceiving God. The Lord resolved to choose a new king, that would be David, but he could only become king after the death of Saul. Then he began a very strong persecution against David because envy began to take control of his heart. Envy is a capital sin and if the people to not take care, this evil becomes sin and then grows into hatred.

Saul wanted to kill David because the envy became hatred. David had the opportunity of killing Saul, but he did not do this, because he had purity in his heart. It was not simply because he was anointed by the Lord that he did not want to kill, but because he was a son of God.

Evil is not in me, it was David himself who said this. We cannot desire evil to happen to another. There are many people who want vengeance and this does not come from the Gospel. David fought against evil that was inside of him. He fought against the evil tendency inside of him that wanted vengeance.

Hatred does not kill the other, it kills the person that is with it. It kills the heart. Hatred kills the only solution: which is to not feed it, but to do good. This kills hatred.

“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4, 3-7 NIV)
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People always have to make this question: “Why do I have this rage?” It is not necessary to be full of rage because the evil is not in the other and not in you. If you do not do good, the evil will remain, however, knocking at your door. We cannot allow this take hold of us. Run from it, do not let it dominate you. The evil cannot dominate you. Repeat, do good.

We need always to see through Calvary and we need to see it as the best manifestation of love, the best good that someone already does through us. The Lord spilled His Blood for us. Who has to be inside of us: Jesus and not the demon.

We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. Dominate this hatred, do not allow it to control you.

It fits God that this person who because of envy of you grows in hatred, has an encounter God, therefore do not fit yourself to vengeance. Ask the Lord that He does not allow this evil to dominate you.

The Christian is the fool of the world, because all come calling him the fool as you do not want to avenge yourself. Jesus was called the fool when he was brought to the cross. Likewise we too are fools. We are fools that are going to conquer with the Reign of Heaven and we are not going to allow such foolishness as hatred throw us from the way of the Lord.

Homily of Fr. José Augusto
Missionary of the New Song Community.

Translated from Portuguese