Day 106: Saul Is Chosen

1 Samuel 9:1-27 What seemed like random coincidences that led to the meeting between Samuel and Saul were actually events planned by God himself. Saul-who was from the tribe of Benjamin, which had nearly been destroyed by civil war-was God’s choice to be the first King of Israel.


You shall anoint him: Anointing a person with oil is a sacred sign that the individual has been set aside for a special service to the Lord such as a priest, prophet, or king. In the Sacraments, oil signifies consecration, strengthening, and healing.


I have seen the affliction...come to me: Tradition recognizes several sins that “cry to heaven” for justice, and these include oppression. (CCC 436 1294, 1867)


Ch 10:1-10 The Lord anointed you: Anointing with oil was a practice associated with the consecration of kings, priests, and occasionally prophets who were to begin a mission entrusted to them by God. The anointing was done in God’s name and was associated with the reception of the Holy Spirit. The Greek christos and the Hebrew messiah both mean “the anointed one,” a title that applies to Jesus because he was anointed by the Holy Spirit and fulfilled his divine mission to perfection. Anointing today is part of the Rites of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. (CCC 243, 436, 438, 695, 1150)


Ch 10:10 Another heart: This refers to a conversion experience, or an interior change caused by the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit. This was made apparent in Saul’s prophesying when he met the prophets on the road (CCC 821, 1431)


Ch 10:17-27 A series of random lots were taken to determine which tribe, family, and individual within the family should be made king of Israel. The lot fell to Saul, confirming God’s choice, but he was not universally popular. Samuel was obedient to God’s will to establish a monarchy but seemed personally opposed to it because he saw it as a rejection of God’s kingship over Israel. The monarchy eventually would be perfected and fulfilled by the reign of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, over his people. (CCC 440)


Proverbs 6:23-35 This book teaches the importance of consistent fidelity to the Commandments. Unless the temptations originating in the mind and hearts are extinguished with prayer and robust effort, they can easily evolve into sinful actions. (CCC 2331, 2514, 2528)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)


Saul’s Selection 

(*Walking With God: A Journey Through The Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins)




Those of us who have received the Spirit of God we must be aware that if we are overly preoccupied by the opinions of human beings and not as driven by doing the Will of God, then We, too, need to change that. We will ask for that help from The Lord. We ask for help from each other.



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we give you praise and thanks. Thank you for this day. Thank you for Day 106. Thank you for leading us by your Spirit to hear your Word once again, to go into this new stage of the Royal Kingdom and to see the beginnings of how you not only blessed the Twelve Tribes of Israel, but you brought them together. And this is the beginning of you bringing them together into a Royal Kingdom. And you’ve done this in order to bless us. You’ve done this in order to prefigure the Church that you founded in Jesus Christ. You gave us your Holy Spirit, that same Spirit that came upon Saul, son of Kish, to lead him and to guide him so he could be a prophet, so he could be a king, so he could lead, so he could fight the enemies of the People of Israel. So he could unite the people of Israel. You have given us this same Spirit, your same Holy Spirit. So right now, Lord, we just give you thanks and we ask that you please renew the gift of your Spirit in each one of us. Let us always say yes to you in everything that we are and in everything that we do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”