Day 108: Saul's Vanity

1 Samuel 13:1-23 Saul prepared to wage battle against the Philistines and made an animal sacrifice to secure God’s blessing. Saul ostensibly honored God but not in a spirit of obedience to God’s will. Therefore, Samuel upbraided Saul and told him that his sin would mean the end of his monarchy. Fidelity to God primarily consists in doing his will. (CCC 1787, 1850, 2135)


Ch 14:1-52 Through a clever ruse, Jonathan and his armor-bearer helped secure victory for Israel in a battle against the Philistines. Later, however, Jonathan, son of Saul, was nearly put to death by Saul because he unknowingly broke an oath that the king had made. Saul was victorious but once again did not rely upon the guidance of God. (CCC 2151-2152)


Psalm 58 This psalm consists in a plea to God, who enjoys the fullness of justice to strike down the unjust judges of the day. 


You gods: this is an ironic or sarcastic reference to those in authority who are corrupt and abuse their authority. Verses 2-5 seem to indicate that the leaders in question were completely evil in both their intentions and actions. 


The righteous will rejoice: Their joy was not only at the destruction of the evil judges so much as the colorful imagery might indicate but rather was on account of the final victory of justice and their liberation from oppressive tyranny. 


Surely there is...on earth: As the Church teaches and we pray in the Creed, Christ will come again on the Last Day to judge both the living and the dead, with the just receiving their reward and the evil their punishment. (CCC 648)

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


Saul’s Reign 

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



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, you are good and you are just. You are a good and just judge. You are a good and just judge who knows the secrets of our hearts. You know the decisions of our wills. You know our actions that we make. And you know the secrets in our minds and in our hearts. You know what’s hidden from everyone else, even from ourselves, Lord. You know us, through and through. And we ask you to be a good and just judge. We also ask you to be a merciful judge. We know our own brokenness and there is so much for our own selves, we don’t even know. But you do, God. Nothing that we are, nothing that we do escapes you. And you still continue to choose us. You still continue to guide and guard us. And so, this day Lord God, please guide. And this day, Lord God, please guard. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”