I am not for a moment about to suggest that this is the way God intended us to interpret this, but for those who happened to attend daily Mass on the Friday before the MA special election and the anniversary of Obama’s inauguration, you were treated to this story about how the people complained against Samuel and demanded that they be given a king to rule over them as other nations have.
God, through Samuel, warned the people that if this were to happen, the king would quickly use his authority to tax them, take their property, oppress them with labor, and make their lives generally miserable, and that eventually they would complain to God to remove the king, and God would not listen to their complaints.
But, the people would not listen and insisted that they be given a king. And so, God told Samuel to give them exactly what they want. And wouldn’t you know – eventually they complained to God about the king. Funny how that happens.
And it is also funny how history just keeps repeating itself even into our day – when even in our free republic we get caught up in the moment and cry out for a king of sorts; someone to rule over us in a way where we don’t have to worry about anything. He will provide everything for us. And before we know it we get exactly what we wished for only to regret that moment of weakness.
If you ask me, that reading just happened to be in the right place at the right time for Americans to reflect on the choices we make through our voting, and the discernment we should take when deciding.
In fact, that whole series of readings was interesting given the events of the world. On Wednesday, January 20 – the anniversary of Obama’s inauguration – daily Mass-goers woke up to the news that MA had elected a republican senator, and were then treated to the story of David and Goliath for the first reading.
Just sayin’….
