The Providence of God

[Weedy]

The Providence of God

"God is the unchanging conductor as well as the unchanged creator of
all things that change. When he adds, abolishes, curtails, increases,
or diminishes the rites of any age, he is ordering all events
according to his providence.

This will hold good until the beauty of the completed course of
time--whose parts are the dispensations suitable to each different
period--shall have played itself out, like the great melody of some
ineffable composer."
--St. Augustine--Letter 138, 1

Prayer: Instruct me, Lord, and command what you will. But first heal
me and open my ears that I may hear your words.
--St. Augustine--Soliloquies 1, 1

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August 20th - St. Samuel of Ramathaim-zophim, Prophet
(15th and last of the Judges of Israel)

Samuel, who was dedicated to the service of the Lord before his birth,
became a prophet. He anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and
David. During his lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the
Philistines. Every year, Samuel used to go on a circuit judging for
Israel between Ramah, Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh. He lead Israel
against the Philistines in Mizpeh.

In the Old Testament, the Lord was instructing the children of Israel
in dreams and visions to His prophets and priests. There were several
periods during which the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of
the Lord by worshipping idols. During those periods the word of the
Lord became rare and there were not many visions. The Lord also
delivered them to the hands of their enemies until they repented and
returned to Him. He then gave them prophets and judges to lead them to
His way and to rescue them from their oppressors.

The Prophet Samuel was the 15th and last of the Judges of Israel,
living more than 1146 years before the Birth of Christ. He was
descended from the Tribe of Levi, and was the son of Elkanah from
Ramathaim-Zophim of Mount Ephraim. He was born, having been besought
from the Lord through the prayers of his mother Hannah (therefore he
received the name Samuel, which means "besought from God"). Even
before birth, he was dedicated to God. Her song, "My heart exults in
the Lord," is the Third Ode of the Old Testament (1 Sam/1 Kings
2:1-10).

When the boy reached the age of three, his mother went with him to
Shiloh and in accord with her vow dedicated him to the worship of God.
She gave him into the care of the High Priest Eli, who at this time
was a judge over Israel. The prophet grew in the fear of God, and at
12 years of age he had a revelation that God would punish the house of
the High Priest Eli, because he did not restrain the impiety of his
sons. Eli's whole family was wiped out in a single day.

The prophecy was fulfilled when the Philistines, having slain in
battle 30,000 Israelites (among them were also the sons of the High
Priest, Hophni and Phinees), gaining victory and capturing the Ark of
the Covenant. Hearing this, the High Priest Eli fell backwards from
his seat at the gate, and breaking his back, he died. The wife of
Phinees, upon hearing what had happened in this very hour, gave birth
to a son (Ichabod) and died with the words: "The glory has departed
from Israel, for the Ark of God is taken away" (1 Sam/1 Kgs 4: 22).

Upon the death of Eli, Samuel became the judge of the nation of
Israel. The Ark of God was returned by the Philistines on their own
initiative. After returning to God, the Israelites returned to all the
cities that the Philistines had taken. In his old age, the Prophet
Samuel made his sons Joel and Abiah judges over Israel, but they did
not follow the integrity and righteous judgment of their father, since
they were motivated by greed.

Then the elders of Israel, wanting the nation of God to be "like other
nations" (1 Sam/1 Kgs 8: 20), demanded of the Prophet Samuel that they
have a king. The Prophet Samuel anointed Saul as king, but saw in this
a downfall of the people, whom God Himself had governed until this
time, announcing His will through His chosen saints. Resigning the
position of judge, the Prophet Samuel asked the people if they
consented to his continued governance, but no one stepped forward for
him.

After denouncing the first king, Saul, for his disobedience to God,
the Prophet Samuel anointed David as king. He had offered David
asylum, saving him from the pursuit of King Saul. The Prophet Samuel
died in extreme old age. His life is recorded in the Bible (1 Sam/1
Kgs; Sirach 46:13-20).

In the year 406 A.D. the relics of the Prophet Samuel were transferred
from Judea (as is related by St. Jerome) and taken to Constantinople
by Emperor Arcadius, and deposited near Septimum.


Saint Quote:
Jesus is working on the ups and downs of human existence: preparing
his three leaders for the trials of the Passion by giving them
something to remember, a moment of glory. Peter wants it to go on for
ever, to settle down there where it felt so good. Instead Jesus brings
them down the mountain, bracing them for the bad times ahead.
We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not
depend on material success, but on Jesus alone.
--St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Bible Quote:
And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance,
nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him,
nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth
those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.
[1 Kings (1 Samuel) 16:7] DRV


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ABANDONMENT TO THE DIVINE WILL

Father, I abandon myself into Your hands; Do with me what
You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You: I am ready for
all, I accept all. Let only Your will be done in me, And in all
Your creatures- I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into Your
hands I commend my soul; I offer it to You with all the love of
my heart, For I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself to
surrender my self into Your hands without reserve, and with
boundless confidence, for You are my Father. Amen
(Brother Charles de Foucauld)