Archdiocese Of St. Louis

In today's reflection we focus on the Prophet Samuel and the symbol of the crown, signifying his role in anointing a King for the Israelites. As told in the first Book of Samuel, the Israelites ask for a king. Acting as God's agent, Samuel anoints Saul: "Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: 'The LORD anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the LORD’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them.'" But Saul makes a huge mistake. Through Samuel, God instructs him to punish the Amalekites for what they did to the Israelites, who were barred as they came from Egypt. Saul rejects God's word, and spared the Amalekites' king and the best of the fat sheep and oxen, claiming he made a sacrifice. But Samuel says to Saul, obedience to God is better than sacrifice; you have rejected God, therefore God has rejected you. So Samuel is sent by God to search for a new king. He's instructed to go to Bethlehem, w