David put his hand into the bag and took out a stone,
hurled it with the sling,
and struck the Philistine on the forehead.
Clearly, the Lord was with the shepherd boy as he hurled a stone at the giant Philistine, but we should not discount the skill of the slinger. Behind many phalanxes of ancient hoplites was a host of poor men with slings. They were armed with carefully chosen, round stones to hurl at the enemy's front line.
Slingers had learned their skill as shepherds. and knew how to persuade a wolf, bear, or thief to go somewhere else. The stone might even guide the flock as they could land to the left or right of the leading sheep, who'd decide to go the other direction.
To the Philistine warrior the boy appeared only with a staff, but then he pulled out a stone and hurled it with a force as much as 130mph at the fellow's forehead. That would hurt!
Today we celebrate the martyr Saint Agnes, whose name means lamb. Like her Shepherd King, she was led to the slaughter, trusting that God would raise her up.
Sheep, lambs, and shepherds appear often in Christian churches, songs, and prayers. The Lamb of God may be the most common image of the Word Made Flesh, after his appearance as a man or infant. But he is the Lamb who was slain. Unlike the shoppers who prowl the meat department of our supermarkets, ancient men and women were familiar with the bloody work of preparing sheep, heifers, and poultry for market. The Jews had a religious scruple about using the blood for food, but did not hesitate to eat approved meats.
Like their pagan neighbors, their preparation of a meal could be combined with a religious ritual and called a sacrifice, thus blessing their food. (A sacrifice is not always going without.)
To those who witnessed the trial, torture, and crucifixion of Jesus, he appeared like a lamb led to slaughter. He made no protest; he offered no defense; he heard his accusers in silence, and suffered everything they wanted to do to him. Professionals, they did not hesitate to make the ordeal as painful as humanly possible.
Martyrs do not blow themselves up like Muslim murderers. They walk in the footsteps of Jesus and trust God to humiliate his enemies with their holiness. In the safety of our churches and homes, we pray that we will be found worthy of their company. And, very often, their silent witness is more powerful than a warrior's sword.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.