How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

 

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Psalm 45

2 Samuel 1:17-27

John 5:30-47

Observance: Gregory, bishop of Nyssa (d. 394) and his sister Macrina, deaconess (d. 379), teachers of the faith

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

There was a pop-scientist in the second half of the twentieth century, Carl Sagan, who came up with a little piece of writing after reflecting on the size of the universe. “Pale Blue Dot” was the title, inspired by a photograph of Earth taken from the Moon. It has captured the imagination of many shallow minds, arguing from a purely material point of view that we humans are insignificant on a galactic scale, and so should be doing everything we can to try and preserve ourselves and our pale blue dot. This line of thinking insults the intelligence: one can not simply state that humans should act in a moral way to one another as if it were a universal truth without first demonstrating why.

Our Lord Jesus teaches us that everything in this material universe has been put there for a reason. He also gives us the reason as to why we have morals, and which morals are universal, and which are simply trends that come and go. He gives us a reason for living, and that reason is a very good one, too. For the Christian, our individual lives are each a world-defining character arc in an adventure story, the grandest adventure story every made. We were made, called good, and blessed. Then we turned and got lost. But then we were found, and saved from the greatest enemy of all: death itself. Every single one of us is precious to God as if we were the only human being ever born.

And so, when we read of David composing this poem for his fallen king and closest companion, we are reading a response that is totally and wholly suitable for the occasion. For any of our Father’s children to die is a tragedy beyond belief (which is why Jesus came to destroy death). Pick any of your favourite adventure stories: your own life is infinitely more interesting, exciting, influential, and worthwhile to God.

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!