Thursday, February 5, 2004
Fast Free Week
The Martyr Agatha of Palermo
Kellia: 1 Kings 12:16-25 LXX Epistle: 1 John 1:8-2:6 Gospel: St. Mark 13:31-14:2
1 Kings 12:16-25 LXX (1 Sam. 12:16-25 MT),
especially vs. 23, "Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by
ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way." When the elders
of God's People demanded a king (1 Sam. 8:4, 5), Samuel sought to dissuade them, discerning
that the effect of their request was a rejection of the Lord (1 Sam. 8:6-21). Notwithstanding, the
Lord allowed the will of the elders to prevail and directed His servant to "Hearken to their voice,
and make them a king" (1 Sam. 8:22). The Prophet obediently carried out his Lord's will, but he
never ceased in his efforts to impress on the people the wicked nature of their choice. Even on
the day of the public revelation and acceptance of Saul as king, he reminded them, "But you have
this day rejected your God, Who saves you from all your calamities and distresses" (1 S.10:19).
The triumph of the army of Israel over Nahash the Ammonite under King Saul's leadership (1 S.
11:11) appears only to have reinforced the people's conviction that they were correct in asking
for a king. Worse, the victory revealed a serious hardening of their self-confidence as the
interaction among Samuel, King Saul, and the people reveals: "Bring the men [who repudiated
Saul's reign] that we may put them to death," they said (1 S. 11:12). Except for the wisdom of
the new king, the people would have compounded their wickedness (1 S. 11:13). Samuel, ever
the wise pastor, called the people to Gilgal there to make "Saul king before the Lord." (vs. 14).
The depth of Samuel's pastoral wisdom was fully manifested at Gilgal, for, observe: he used the
occasion to make one further effort to bring the people to compunction.
The burden of Samuel's speech was a pleading of his case against them (1 S. 12:6-15). Notice
how he began his review of the evidence: by adjuring them to "stand still, that I may plead with
you before the Lord" (1 S. 12:7). When he finished outlining his case, there was no outcry of
remorse or of godly sorrow from the people because of their wickedness, only silence.
Therefore, since they would not hear him, he again commanded them to "stand still" (1 S. 12:16),
but this time with a difference: "stand still and see" (vs. 16). For, as he continued, "you shall
know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in
asking for yourselves a king" (vs. 17). With trust in the Lord, he announced, "I will call upon the
Lord, that He may send thunder and rain" (vs. 17). He was confident that God would hearken "to
the voice of a man" (Jos. 10:14), and bring a thunderstorm in the early summer. St. Jerome, who
spent many years in Palestine, reports that he never saw such a phenomenon at that season.
The unexpected storm created fear within the assembly of Israel, for the people fully understood
the implication of the sudden, out-of-season thunderstorm. God was judging them and affirming
Samuel's charges: "Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die; for we have
added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king" (1 S. 12:19).
Wise pastor that Samuel was, he did not relish a fleeting moment of grief, but endeavored to lead
the people into complete repentance and to joyful compunction. While he desired that they
acknowledge their own sinfulness, he also wanted them to know the forgiveness extended to
them by God, in the manner of St. John of the Ladder: "When I consider the actual nature of
compunction, I am amazed at how that which is called mourning and grief should contain joy and
gladness interwoven within it...." So Samuel assured the people, "Fear not, but serve the Lord
with all your heart....for consider what great things He has done for you" (vss. 20, 24).
Open to me the doors of repentance, O Life-giver; for my soul goeth early to the temple of Thy
holiness. In Thy tender lovingkindness, purify me by the compassion of Thy mercies.
