ABSALOM,  ABSALOM - 

LEARNINGS,  LEARNINGS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 4^th Tuesday in Ordinary Time is, “Absalom, Absalom, Learnings, Learnings.”

I’m only going to say some words about today’s first reading from the Second Book of Samuel. [Cf. 2 Samuel 18: 9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30 - 19:3].

The gospel is intriguing as well - with stories about the teenage girl thought dead, but alive, and the woman with the blood problems. But time is a factor….

I got thinking and reading about Absalom last night - thinking about a homily for this morning.

As we heard from this section of the second book of Samuel yesterday, Absalom was one of David’s sons.

He rebels - going to war with his father - as he is trying to take over some of his father’s kingdom.

And David doesn’t know what to do.

David had a lot of conflicts in his life.

We know of his fight with Goliath.

We know of his getting Uriah the Hittite’s wife Bathsheba pregnant - and then tried to figure out a way of having him killed.

We know of his split with Saul - Israel’s first king - how they were early on in a sort of father-son relationship. The story I like is when he sneaks into the camp site of Saul and takes Saul’s spear while he is sleeping. David’s companion, Abishai,  says, “Here’s his spear. Let me pin him to the ground right now.” The next day from a distance David screams across the hill to Saul, “Here’s your spear!”  Hint! Hint! I could have killed you. “I’m sending the spear back to you.”

LECTURE IN NEW YORK

In 1994 I got a 6 month Sabbatical and I took it in New York City.

It was a nice break - no work - no responsibilities.

One day, I noticed in the paper that a Rabbi was giving a talk on David at a synagogue in mid-town.

I signed up. Interesting. It was worth it.

Looking back the key thing I remembered was that the speaker said that those who put together the Jewish Scriptures about David - were  those rabbi’s and writers who favored David used the power of the pen to make David much better than he was in reality.

And that’s one of the Bible texts that we have for today.

The speaker also said, “David was a flawed king - a sinner if there ever was one - but he did a lot of good  for the nation - for the people called the Israelites.

WILLIAM FAULKNER

William Faulkner wrote a novel  - entitled Absalom, Absolom.   It was about a man name Thomas Sutpen.

The novel describles a man who like David who had a tough life - losing his sons. Thomas Sutpen was a bit like David. He led a flawed - self destructive life.

The story takes place in Mississipi - at a  mansion built by Thomas Sutpen. and then his desire for sons.

Here  in today’s first reading Absalom gets caught by the hair in a tree as he’s riding along on a mule.

Joab - one of David’s commanders, who is also connected to the sister of David -comes along and drives three  spikes through the heart of Absalom.

Thomas Sutpin in the novel, Absalom, Absalom, experiences the violent death of his chidlren.

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

Where to go with all this?  How to end this homily.

One thought for the day would be the reminder to read not only the Bible but also novels and see what stuff they get us in touch with.

Thomas Sutpen - according to William Faulkner - wanted sons.

What do we do we who don’t have sons?

What do we do, when life doesn’t work out for us as we hope it will?

Thomas Sutpen - once went to the front door of a house - and he was told, “You’re a back door person.”  That one experience triggered a lot of stuff - especially his desire to be rich, an owner of a giant mansion, with slaves and plenty of property.

Is there any life experience that drives us to be the way we are?

This book and his other writings helped him win the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature.

What was a book that grabbed you?

What was a book that got you to look at family?

Faulkner peeled off layer after layer of a person.

Has there been a novel that did that for you?

In reading some reviews and interviews about Absalom, Absalom, I  read that Faulkner presented both a wounded devil as well as a wounded Christ.

Did any book get you to see Christ and the devil in a new way?

CONCLUSION

My conclusion would be: Learn, learn…. and what literature helps you learn.

And P.S. I spotted something very interesting.

Two outstanding American writers were Hemingway and Walkner.

I was taught that Hemingway wrote short sentences. For example, “He shot the dog.” Faulkner on the other hand had great material, but was lazy when it came to writing. I spotted a comment while reading a review of Absalom, Absalom.  The longest sentence in literature is 1,288 words. It can be found in Chapter 6 of the novel. 

Read, read.  Learn, learn.