Month of the Holy Souls (Nov 3)
November 03, 2025
Day 3
A reading from the Second Book of Samuel (14:25; 15:13,37; 18:1,5,9-10,33; 19:2)
Now in all Israel there was no one to be praised so much for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.
A messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the Israelites have gone after Absalom.’
So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
Then David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. The king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.
Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging* between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10A man saw it, and told Joab, ‘I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.’
The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’
So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops; for the troops heard that day, ‘The king is grieving for his son.’ 3The troops stole into the city that day as soldiers steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!’
From The Mirror of Charity by St. Aelred of Rievaulx
See how I, who began to grieve, have found reason to rejoice. Clearly I have found reason, but in you, my beloved brother [Simon], not in myself. Do not weep for me, he said, but for yourselves and for your children. For you, beloved brother, for you I rejoice, but for myself I feel keen sorrow. For you one should rejoice, yet I should be wept over, because I can live without Simon. What a marvel that I be said to be alive, when such a great part of my life, so sweet a solace for my pilgrimage, so unique an alleviation for my misery, has been taken away from me. It is as if my body had been eviscerated and my hapless soul rent to pieces. And am I said to be alive? O wretched life, O grievous life, a life without Simon! The patriarch Jacob wept for his son; Joseph wept for his father; holy David wept for his dearest Jonathan. Simon, alone, was all these to me: a son in age, a father in holiness, a friend in charity. Weep, then, poor fellow, for your dearest father, weep for your most loving son, weep for your gentlest friend. Let waterfalls burst from your wretched forehead; let your eyes shed tears day and night. Weep, I say, not because he was taken up, but because you were left. Who will allow me to die with you, my father, my brother, my son? I would not wish to die instead of you. This would be to consider not your interests but my own. Holy David kept repeating this about his son the parricide: Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, who will allow me to die instead of you? David did not say that about his friend Jonathan, did he? Nor Joseph about his father? It had to be said about the parricide, it had to be said about the sinner, because the death of sinners is worst of all. It was pious to wish to die for an impious man, that he might live to repent, live to weep, live to receive God’s mercy so that he might not perish forever. But those who departed in peace were not afterwards to be recalled to this misery, nor to be subjected again to so many fears, so many sorrows.
Then again, Rachel weeping for her children refused to be consoled. Why was she weeping? Attachment. But her attachment would be consoled, if her son were recalled from death, if the mother again enjoyed the sight of him. But Rachel did not wish this. Why? Because if the son were recalled from death, he would be cast precipitately from blessedness into misery. She wished not that her son be recalled to life, but that she be taken up to her son in eternal rest. Attachment demanded sons, but reason resisted attachment, so that [the sons] might not be recalled. Divine providence delayed taking her up. Therefore, Rachel weeping for her children refused to be consoled.
My case is the same. I grieve for my most beloved [friend], for the one-in-heart with me who has been snatched from me, and I rejoice that he is taken up to eternal tabernacles. My attachment seeks his sweet presence which nourished it delightfully, but my reason does not agree that this soul, beloved by me, once free from the flesh should again be subject to the miseries of the flesh. My soul along with his, a part of its own, longs to enjoy the embrace of Christ, but my weakness resists, my iniquity resists, and even divine providence resists this. Surely, the one who was ready entered the marriage feast with the Bridegroom, but to me, wretch that I am, the door is still closed. If only, Lord Jesus, if only that door be opened one day. But I hope in your mercy, Lord, that someday it will be opened. I have sent my first fruits on ahead, sent on my treasure, sent on no small part of myself. Let the rest of me follow on after you. Where my treasure is, there let my heart be also.
Musical Selection
When David heard that Absalom was slain
He went up into his chamber over the gate and wept
And thus he said;
When David heard that Absalom was slain
He went up into his chamber over the gate and wept
And thus he said;
My son, my son
O Absalom my son
Would God I had died for thee!
Prayer
Lord God,
from whom human sadness is never hidden,
you know the burden of grief
that we feel at the loss of a child.
As we mourn their passing from this life,
comfort us with the knowledge
that they are already at peace in your loving arms.
We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.