Wednesday
We start the story of David in his unequal fight with the Philistine. I suppose all this gives us courage that whatever obstacle we encounter we can overcome it.

Thursday
Saul not unnaturally is jealous of David. It’s a good opportunity to reflect on the nature of jealousy. It’s so much easier to sympathise with the failure or bad luck of others than with their success. I suppose it’s part of our human nature.

How do we overcome it? The priest at mass today had some ideas. Look at the cross or think that all this success pales into insignificance at the final count, or count our blessings. Frankly, I do not know the answer. Perhaps it’s an interesting spiritual exercise, to force oneself to rejoice in someone who is younger, better-looking, more powerful, or richer than oneself, whatever one’s jealous of.

I find quite a good way is to think well of so and so who has a big job that I would like to have, but I have my children and that is much more precious.

Friday
Saul is in David’s power, yet he refuses to strike. He merely cuts off the border of the king’s coat. Can we always too be content with just the border of the cloak?

Saturday
But Saul falls anyway in honest battle and David can make his lament over him in honest grief. Why do we murmur in our jealous minds against others when their doom and ours is already encompassed.