The Daily: Tuesday July 2, 2024

Daily Lectionary Reading: Psalm 88 (NRSV, The Message); 1 Samuel 31:1-13 (NRSV, The Message); 2 Corinthians 9:1-5 (NRSV, The Message)

The battle pressed hard upon Saul; the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by them.
1 Samuel 31:3 (NRSV)

There are days when the archer finds us.

The book of 1 Samuel tells the story of the rise and fall of Saul from the perspective of the priestly tradition. Saul's defeag would make a way for the rise of King David, beloved by Israel. Some scholars believe that this might be the story of a coup with David taking over the kingdom.

For all of us there will come days that don't work out the way we want, that we are pressed hard by the battle. For all of us there will be a day when the archer's arrow will hit and we will be no more. None of us will escape it. Maybe facing this reality of life can bring a bit of perspective to the rest of our life. Because there are plenty of days, most of them actually, when the archer doesn't find us.

"Momento mori" was a frequent cry of ancient philosphers - "remember your death."