Divine Dealing differently

The text today from the First Book of Samuel in the Roman Catholic Lectionary tells of Samuel being displeased with the actions of Saul who did not follow the instructions given him as the the will of God for his mission against the Amalekites. This passage is disturbing for the cognitive dissonance which it creates in our minds. The complete destruction of the Amalekite people an livestock seems a brutal command. Friar Jude Winkler calls us to attend to the different way in which the disobedience of Saul and the sins of David, who replaces Saul, are treated by Samuel. Friar Jude asks whether Samuel has it in for Saul? The understanding that God sees all people differently and treats each of us in ways that are different and intimate to our lives is difficult for us to accept. In the Gospel from John, the scribes and Pharisees point out different behavior from the disciples of John and Jesus disciples. Jesus reminds the inquisitors that many traditions in their culture, including death and the loss of a relationship bring them to fasting as the confirmation in practice of the feeling of loss by the person. "I don't feel like eating right now". The difficulty with difference should not be so much of a problem with the religious authorities of Jesus time or with us. They were set aside by God as a chosen, "different" people who practiced their faithfulness to God in the Law and Prophets by living differently in food, agriculture and worship than their neighbours. The followers of Jesus are also different! The Good News completes the Law and the Prophets. The life of Christ in the believer makes each a different delight to the Divine.