Our first reading today shows how King David is facing rebellion in his own family – as his son Absalom is dividing the loyalty of the people of Israel. They are going over to him and encouraging division and confusion.
Because he knows of his father, David's, sins of murder and adultery, Absalom feels that he has ammunition enough to persuade the people. But he fails to remember that the Lord God forgave David's sin because his heart was truly contrite and he confessed his sin!
An image in the reading that is a prophecy of Jesus is David going up to the Mount of Olives – weeping! This is the very place where Jesus will sit and wept over the city of Jerusalem on the eve of his passion! Jesus was about to give his life for a people whose loyalty was severely divided against him, who chose to live a life divided and full of confusion. They were rejecting the very one who alone could heal, reconcile and redeem them!
In the gospel passage Jesus cures a man possessed with an unclean spirit. He does this very easily – but makes a show of it to emphasize a point. The swine that are cast over the bluff represents those who will be cast over the cliff at the Last Day if they do not submit to his spiritual authority! Those who have a clean spirit and a clean heart – who proclaim God's spiritual authority over them -will not have to worry about plunging to their eternal demise – they will be gathered into loving and gentle arms of their Shepherd Father.
May we this day reduce the confusion in our lives by remaining loyal to Jesus – to his word, his will and his way – for it guarantees us life in the Kingdom – and there is no better, more welcome guarantee than this!
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