Having been an active child (a kind way of saying troublesome at least at times), it is not easy to parent children. You can give the best example, and sometimes the children just don’t get it. Samuel was an excellent example to his children. 1 Sam 8:3 tells us they did not follow his example. Are there perfect parents? I don’t think so. Mine was good, very good in some ways, but in others, I had to learn in the course of living my own life that they weren’t and I had to

The God of Israel is God alone you shall not have strange gods before you. Dagon is no match for the God of Israel. The Ark had a proper place to be, and it wasn’t with the Philistines. The Israelites celebrated the Ark’s return. The Ark came to reside in Kiriath-jearim one of the principal cities of Judea with Samuel as a judge again the Israelites were right with God. Our physical Church building is the proper place for the Lord to dwell and is, therefore, the appropri

“Speak Lord your servant is listening!” Samuel’s words in 1 Samuel 3:9 our good words for us today! It is so easy not to listen, when we talk with one another it is often not a conversation it is more I am talking and when you are I am thinking about what I need or want to say next and not hearing a word you are saying much less the meaning behind them. I am guilty. As we enter these days of the Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil, listening is ke

Hannah poured her heart out to the Lord in First Samuel. Have you ever poured your heart out to the Lord? Hannah found great solace before God. Mary, the mother of Jesus, brings to full voice Hannah ’s prayer to God. In 1 Sam 2:1f we still hear how God punish Both women were people of great faith, and both have son’s dedicated to God. Samuel was the last Judge and Jesus, at long last, fulfills the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Why do you do what the Lord comm

The book of Ruth 1:16-17 gives us the famous saying, "Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God. Where you die I will die, and there be buried." While many people use this at weddings and it is indeed appropriate, it is a gift to a friend, not a lover. Ruth's love for her mother-in-law Naomi. Oh, that we would live in such a loving and caring world. Then again, maybe we can. You and I can choose to l

Judges 20:3, “How did this evil thing happen?” Sad but true we allow or cooperate with evil at times. We call that sin. It is rare that one sin does not lead to another and another and on and on. It is the sad nature of sin. Some of the worse sin in us happens in our own home’s or to our own family’s. This is the case for Israel in the book of Judges. Don’t forget sin begets sin. Also, a sad by-product of sin is blame and all too often God is blamed. God does not do what is e

Judges 17:6", "...Everyone did what was right in their own eyes." Their rationale was that there was no king at that time, so everyone for themselves. There are some parts of the scripture that are repugnant. Did God wish the concubine to be raped and killed? We need to learn here to respect each person's life. No one is an object to be used and abused. Paul's ideal of who has the authority and who doesn't do not compete with ours today. No one but God has authority ov

It is helpful to know that Samson was a judge in Isreal. It is not so much his words that speak his wisdom, but his ultimate faithfulness to God. The twists and turns of our life make for an interesting and sometimes difficult journey for us. God does wish us to know his right path. Sometimes that way is clear other time it is not till after an event that we see where God’s hand was upon us. Manoah and his wife, Samson’s parents show us the desire of God to guide us throu

Bargaining with the Lord is probably not a wise way to seek the Lord’s help. It did not work out for Jephthah. Did God want to have him take the life of his daughter? No, not any more than we would want you to do something like that to a family member. The point being don’t bargain with God. Do what is right. Seek the way of the Lord. Can you say, “Shibboleth” if not you are in trouble? I looked it up on google so I can. The Lord will catch up with you if you try to r

Gibeon was a reluctant prophet for Israel. He was also pretty obnoxious with the Lord. Wow. The Lord does have broad shoulders. He takes Gibeon and allows him to voice his frustrations and doubts. But the Lord is calling Gibeon to service, and the Lord gets what the Lord wants. God clothes Gibeon with his spirit enabling him to lead the people against Midian. The test Gibeon is to use to choose what men are to fight is one of the famous sayings of the Book of Judges.