News about Jesus’ healing miracles have gone far and wide, and the crowds come to him in multitude. They are not only Jews from the Galilean towns but also from Judea and Jerusalem. There are also mostly pagan people from Tyre and Sidon, Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan.

We exercise our imagination and ask: What happens to those people who experience healing that day? Will they understand that the healing is an invitation to turn to God through repentance of sins? Will the Jews believe that they deserve to be healed since they belong to God’s chosen people?

Will pagans who have been restored to good health make any effort to know Jesus other than as a healer or miracle worker? Will they too glorify the God of Israel on account of what Jesus has done to them? Jesus, elsewhere, would reproach the towns where most of his miracles have been done, since people have not repented (Mt 11:20). While receiving God’s graces is a great grace, it should make us humble and repentant, moves that make us worthy of divine favor.

When David and Saul approached (on David’s return after slaying the Philistine), women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums. The women played and sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his 10,000.”

Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought: “They give David 10,000, but only thousands to me. All that remains for him is the kingship.” And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David. Saul discussed his intention of killing David with his son Jonathan and with all his servants. But Saul’s son Jonathan, who was very fond of David, told him: “My father Saul is trying to kill you. Therefore, please be on your guard tomorrow morning; get out of sight and remain in hiding. I, however, will go out and stand beside my father in the countryside where you are, and will speak to him about you. If I learn anything, I will let you know.”

Jonathan then spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him: “Let not your majesty sin against his servant David, for he has committed no offense against you, but has helped you very much by his deeds. When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel through him, you were glad to see it. Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood by killing David without cause?”

Saul heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” So Jonathan summoned David and repeated the whole conversation to him. Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and David served him as before.

“In God I trust; I shall not fear.”

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.

He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him.

And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.