Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/272

 Suicide was  Saul’s  crowning  sin. He saw  that  the  enemy  was  pressing on him  in  overwhelming  numbers,  and  that  he  could  not  escape; therefore, so  as  not  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines,  he  killed  himself. This was  a terrible  sin,  for  on  no  account  may  a man  take  away  his own life,  as  he  did  not  give  it  to  himself. God is  Lord  of  life  and death, and  he  who  kills  himself  robs  the  divine  Majesty  of  His  rights. But it  might  be  argued,  Saul  could  not  anyhow  have  had  long  to  live, for most  likely  the  Philistines  would  have  killed  him  on  the  field  of battle. True, but  if  Saul  had,  by  God’s  permission,  been  killed  by  his enemies, he  would  have  died  the  death  of  a hero,  in  defence  of  his religion, his  people  and  his  country. Very likely,  however,  the  Philistines would not  have  killed  him  at  once,  but  would  have  taken  him  prisoner, and would  later  have  put  him  to  death. Saul would  in  this  way have had  to  endure  humiliations  and  tortures,  but  he  would  have  had time to  repent  of  his  many  sins,  and  if  he  had  offered  his  sufferings  to God  in  the  spirit  of  true  penance,  his  soul  would  have  been  saved,  and he  would  have  died  the  death  of  a martyr  to  faith  in  the  one  true God. By his  suicide  he  not  only  killed  his  body,  but  also  his soul; for  his  last  act  on  earth  was  one  of  mortal  sin,  and  the  very nature of  the  act  made  repentance  impossible. Every voluntary  suicide is a suicide  of  the  soul  which  can  in  no  way  be  expiated;  and  it  is in  this  that  lies  the  horror  of  this  sin. Cowardice, moreover,  lies  at the  root  of  every  suicide,  as  we  have  seen  was  the  case  with  Saul. He shrank  from  humiliation  and  degradation,  and  to  avoid  them  put an end  to  his  life. The suicide  is  too  cowardly  to  endure  such  temporal evils as  poverty,  sickness,  or  shame,  and  therefore  puts  an  end  to  his life, never  considering  that  he  thereby  subjects  himself  to  the  everlasting torments of  hell. Suicide is  the  most  foolish  of  all  sins  and  crimes; for in  order  to  escape  a passing  evil  he  who  commits  it  exposes  himself to  eternal  suffering.

Humility and  love  of  our  enemies. There  are  many  beautiful  virtues to admire  in  David. He remained  humble  in  spite  of  the  adulation of the  world;  he  did  not  glory  in  being  chosen  by  God  to  be  king; he bore  no  grudge  in  his  heart  against  the  unjust,  ungrateful  Saul; he did  not  rise  up  against  him,  but  honoured  him  as  “his  lord  and king”, called  himself  his  servant,  forgave  him  from  his  heart,  and  spared his life  when  the  opportunity  of  revenge  was  given  him. David had a most noble  and  magnanimous  heart;  he  did  not  return  evil  for  evil, but really  loved  his  mortal  enemy,  and  bitterly  bewailed  his  sad  end. Thus David  gives  us  a splendid  example  of  love  of  our  enemies,  which teaches us  that  we  should  never  take  vengeance  on  them. St. Paul writes (Rom.  12,  19):  “Do  not  revenge  yourselves,  but  give  place  unto wrath (i.  e.  leave  vengeance  to  God),  for  it  is  written:  ‘Revenge  to me,  I will  repay,  saith  the  Lord.’”  By  this  noble  virtue  of  love  of his  enemy  David  won  a victory  over  himself  (over  anger  and  the desire  of  revenge)  which  was  far  greater  and  more  worthy  of  renown