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On 1 Samuel

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1 Samuel 14:48
And having gathered the army, he struck Amalek, etc. It signifies foreign nations alien to the faith and sacrament of the patriarchs' blood, whom Christ overcomes in two ways as enemies of his peace, so that he might rescue spiritual Israel from the hand of their devastators, either by saving believers through their own faith or by justly condemning unbelievers through his righteous judgment.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 14:49

Now, the sons of Saul were, etc. The three sons of Saul represent great leaders of the Catholic faith, which proclaims one God in three persons. Since they are what they are not by their own virtue but by the grace of God, and because they desire to enjoy the eternal vision of their Creator (to whom it is said, "But you are the same" [Psalm CVIII]), and because they trust that through Christ Jesus, the true King and Savior, they will be saved and reign forever; rightly the first son is interpreted as the gift of the dove, the second as I have desired, and the third as my King, my salvation. His two daughters indicate weaker members of the faithful devoted to God in body and mind; or certainly, the firstborn daughter holds the image of the synagogue, while the younger holds the image of the Church. The etymology of the names of the daughters is also fitting; for the Synagogue of the elect is not gathered from all nations broadly, but from the multitude of the Israelite lineage alone: the Church, however, is called to faith from all nations. Rightly, the firstborn daughter is said to b…

Now, the sons of Saul were, etc. The three sons of Saul represent great leaders of the Catholic faith, which proclaims one God in three persons. Since they are what they are not by their own virtue but by the grace of God, and because they desire to enjoy the eternal vision of their Creator (to whom it is said, "But you are the same" [Psalm CVIII]), and because they trust that through Christ Jesus, the true King and Savior, they will be saved and reign forever; rightly the first son is interpreted as the gift of the dove, the second as I have desired, and the third as my King, my salvation. His two daughters indicate weaker members of the faithful devoted to God in body and mind; or certainly, the firstborn daughter holds the image of the synagogue, while the younger holds the image of the Church. The etymology of the names of the daughters is also fitting; for the Synagogue of the elect is not gathered from all nations broadly, but from the multitude of the Israelite lineage alone: the Church, however, is called to faith from all nations. Rightly, the firstborn daughter is said to be interpreted as from the multitude, and the second as from all. Saul's wife Achinoam, which is interpreted as the beauty of the brother, figuratively signifies the perfection of the Catholic Church, which is often called in the Song of Love, the sister and the beauty of its Creator, who deigned to become her brother through the mystery of incarnation. Abner, the chief of his army, who is called the lamp of the father, indicates either John the Baptist, who was a burning and shining lamp (John V), or all men of virtue who shine with singular height among the defenders of the Church. We should certainly remind the reader that not always do the same persons hold the same manner of typological figures, but as the circumstances of the surrounding matters change, the types and orders of figures change according to time and place.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 14:52

There was indeed a mighty war against the Philistines, etc. The primary cause of the mighty war against the Philistines was this, because Saul was gathering all the strong and fit men for battle to himself. For if the king himself were not encircled by the hand of a stronger military, by no means would he be terrifying to the neighboring enemies, nor would he powerfully incite them to war; but as in the former times Israel had served them most disgracefully without any hope of freedom; thus surely, thus in the Church, all who are dissolved from good works, nor are endowed with the army of spiritual virtues; because being idle and neglectful we sin, we pay the enemy's tributes of evil conversation with weak languor from the hostile ones. But when we recover from servitude to sin, we resume the hope of victory, the enemy rises, and attacks us with more frequent and sharper stings of temptations, so that if possible, he may recall us to the servitude of crimes; or, if not possible, at least avenge by fiercely raging the injury of his own contempt. But let us pass from our morals to view…

There was indeed a mighty war against the Philistines, etc. The primary cause of the mighty war against the Philistines was this, because Saul was gathering all the strong and fit men for battle to himself. For if the king himself were not encircled by the hand of a stronger military, by no means would he be terrifying to the neighboring enemies, nor would he powerfully incite them to war; but as in the former times Israel had served them most disgracefully without any hope of freedom; thus surely, thus in the Church, all who are dissolved from good works, nor are endowed with the army of spiritual virtues; because being idle and neglectful we sin, we pay the enemy's tributes of evil conversation with weak languor from the hostile ones. But when we recover from servitude to sin, we resume the hope of victory, the enemy rises, and attacks us with more frequent and sharper stings of temptations, so that if possible, he may recall us to the servitude of crimes; or, if not possible, at least avenge by fiercely raging the injury of his own contempt. But let us pass from our morals to view the allegorical deeds of the ancients; and in the very beginning of the nascent Church, the more the stronger and more fit men for spiritual battle Christ was gathering to himself, the more spoils of souls at that time and they were frequently taking from unclean spirits; but also they were enduring greater struggles of martyrdom from the same.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:1
Samuel said to Saul: The Lord sent me to anoint you as king, etc. The prophetic word daily says to the rulers of the Church that they have not been chosen by their own industrious liberty, but by the ministry of the Lord to govern His people; and therefore they should always hear attentively the voice of His command. And it says to all the children of the Church to obey the commands of the Lord; for certainly every pure-hearted person, who expectantly looks forward to the vision of God, is anointed as king over His people Israel; over that gathering of good thoughts and deeds, by the merits of which he hopes to reach His vision. For Israel means "man seeing God." And blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5).

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:2

These things saith the Lord of hosts: I have reckoned, etc. An appropriate preface urging spiritual warfare, so that He who would command to engage in this should be known as the Lord of hosts; that is, of the angelic armies, by whose help we must be protected while fighting against the powers of the air. Egypt, which signifies darkness, represents past sins which followed us up to the sea of baptism but were drowned in it. But Amalek, who resisted Israel after crossing the Red Sea on the way through the desert, and whose name translates to "brutish people," signifies those sins which, after the waves of baptism, daily assail us with their weapons, striving to prevent us from reaching the promised kingdom of the heavenly homeland; so that we do not preserve the fruit of our hearts in sanctification, attempting to rip it away with deadly temptation. All these we are ordered to utterly destroy and show no mercy to; that is, put away everything for which the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language from your mouth, and such l…

These things saith the Lord of hosts: I have reckoned, etc. An appropriate preface urging spiritual warfare, so that He who would command to engage in this should be known as the Lord of hosts; that is, of the angelic armies, by whose help we must be protected while fighting against the powers of the air. Egypt, which signifies darkness, represents past sins which followed us up to the sea of baptism but were drowned in it. But Amalek, who resisted Israel after crossing the Red Sea on the way through the desert, and whose name translates to "brutish people," signifies those sins which, after the waves of baptism, daily assail us with their weapons, striving to prevent us from reaching the promised kingdom of the heavenly homeland; so that we do not preserve the fruit of our hearts in sanctification, attempting to rip it away with deadly temptation. All these we are ordered to utterly destroy and show no mercy to; that is, put away everything for which the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language from your mouth, and such like.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:3
Do not spare them, but kill, etc. From man to woman, from the perfected work of sin to carnal thought, namely the filthy mother and nurse of wicked offspring. The infant and the suckling, the very beginnings and purpose of nefarious action, which a recent evil thought desires to nourish even worse; understand, the ox, the sheep, the camel, and the donkey, symbolize dullness of folly, laziness of sloth, the baseness of pride, and the wantonness of luxury.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:4
Saul therefore commanded the people and counted them, etc. And we, in order to be able to conquer the battles of vices, must gather gentle and innocent thoughts in our heart; namely, imitators of that spotless Lamb, who deigned to redeem us with his blood from the Egypt of this world. These thoughts obeying the command of a modest spirit, because then they truly prevail against the enemy, when fortified with a twin love, that is, of God and neighbor, they walk the path of truth; when they scorn all the delights and miseries of earthly habitation with the sole hope of the heavenly denarius, rightly the foot soldiers mentioned are comprised by the number two hundred and ten: for it is no doubt that the thousandth number signifies the perfection of the thing or person being discussed.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:5

And when Saul had come to the city of Amalek, etc. The city of Amalek represents the densely packed array of temptations against the faithful, which now rages at us, stirred up either by demons, humans, or by our own desires. Certainly, near this city of tempting vices is a flooding torrent, that is, the turbulent drive of fluctuating thoughts, which, descending from the mountains of demonic pride, crashes against the walls of depravity more severely the more the winter of persecution exacerbates the favorable year of the Lord. Yet in this torrent we lay ambushes against Amalek when we strive to anticipate and overcome the enemy with the hidden virtues of the soul and the acts of devotion known only to the judge of our heart. For we almost meet him in open combat whenever we call upon the help of our Creator against him with alms, prayers, fasting, and other similar types of spiritual armor. But with faith, hope, and love, and similar apostolic arms, known fully only to Him who bestowed them upon us, we strive against humans and the evil spirits who lay in wait for us with care and d…

And when Saul had come to the city of Amalek, etc. The city of Amalek represents the densely packed array of temptations against the faithful, which now rages at us, stirred up either by demons, humans, or by our own desires. Certainly, near this city of tempting vices is a flooding torrent, that is, the turbulent drive of fluctuating thoughts, which, descending from the mountains of demonic pride, crashes against the walls of depravity more severely the more the winter of persecution exacerbates the favorable year of the Lord. Yet in this torrent we lay ambushes against Amalek when we strive to anticipate and overcome the enemy with the hidden virtues of the soul and the acts of devotion known only to the judge of our heart. For we almost meet him in open combat whenever we call upon the help of our Creator against him with alms, prayers, fasting, and other similar types of spiritual armor. But with faith, hope, and love, and similar apostolic arms, known fully only to Him who bestowed them upon us, we strive against humans and the evil spirits who lay in wait for us with care and diligence. When, I say, we are arrayed in these invisible weapons against the spiritual wickedness in high places, or amidst the very storms of temptations, we are almost laying ambushes in the torrent against Amalek; for we strike down the openly raging adversary where he cannot see it.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:6

And Saul said to the Kenite, "Go, depart, etc." The holy history reports that the Kenites were the relatives of Moses, saying: "Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the rest of the Kenites, the sons of Hobab the kinsman of Moses; and had pitched his tent as far as the valley which is called Sennim, and he was near Kedesh" (Judges IV). Therefore, Saul commanded the Kenite to withdraw from Amalek. An excellent teacher takes care that if he finds anything among the vices which he reproves, that he may embrace virtues found among them, keeping them unharmed. For you will find many even among pagans who are meek, humble, kind, patient, and serving with almsgiving and prayers in the example of the centurion Cornelius. Surely, these virtues, because they are close to the law of God as if by kinship, emerging from the depths of the worldly darkness, help to reach the promised rest and light, and should not be destroyed among the vices but separated from the catalog of all vices, so that they may benefit their possessor. For a Kenite, which means "possessor," should be separated from all v…

And Saul said to the Kenite, "Go, depart, etc." The holy history reports that the Kenites were the relatives of Moses, saying: "Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the rest of the Kenites, the sons of Hobab the kinsman of Moses; and had pitched his tent as far as the valley which is called Sennim, and he was near Kedesh" (Judges IV). Therefore, Saul commanded the Kenite to withdraw from Amalek. An excellent teacher takes care that if he finds anything among the vices which he reproves, that he may embrace virtues found among them, keeping them unharmed. For you will find many even among pagans who are meek, humble, kind, patient, and serving with almsgiving and prayers in the example of the centurion Cornelius. Surely, these virtues, because they are close to the law of God as if by kinship, emerging from the depths of the worldly darkness, help to reach the promised rest and light, and should not be destroyed among the vices but separated from the catalog of all vices, so that they may benefit their possessor. For a Kenite, which means "possessor," should be separated from all vices. Thus, at Saul's command, the Kenite, who is to be saved, departs from the perishing Amalek when the rigorous teacher separates the virtues that help from the vices that weigh down in the examination of those to be instructed; so that the virtues, which are diligently practiced among the reprovable vices, may not be detested because of someone's bad vices. Nor, on the other hand, should someone's vices, which, as humans, cannot be free from among the virtues, be judged to be embraced because of their proximity to virtues; but with fair judgment, let the crooked be corrected in all things, which impede the way of salvation, and let the right be preserved, which help.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:7

And Saul struck the Amalekites, etc. Evila, which is said to mean "suffering" or "labor," signifies the beginning of conversion, which is not initiated without a certain painful and laborious birth of the new man. Sur, which translates to "right," represents the final perfection of correction. This solitude well described in the region of Egypt implies that one preserves the rectitude received, better if always mindful of the pressure of the darkness from which they have been delivered. In Evila, positioned with the sword of the word, he says: Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts III). But also the Apostle James says: Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up (James IV). By striking the same ones, he comes to Sur, which is opposite, as Scripture elsewhere states, against the face of Egypt; as the Apostle Paul says: For you were once darkness, but now are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (Ephesians IV). And h…

And Saul struck the Amalekites, etc. Evila, which is said to mean "suffering" or "labor," signifies the beginning of conversion, which is not initiated without a certain painful and laborious birth of the new man. Sur, which translates to "right," represents the final perfection of correction. This solitude well described in the region of Egypt implies that one preserves the rectitude received, better if always mindful of the pressure of the darkness from which they have been delivered. In Evila, positioned with the sword of the word, he says: Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out (Acts III). But also the Apostle James says: Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to sorrow. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up (James IV). By striking the same ones, he comes to Sur, which is opposite, as Scripture elsewhere states, against the face of Egypt; as the Apostle Paul says: For you were once darkness, but now are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (Ephesians IV). And he himself positioned in Sur did not neglect to observe Egypt from which he had exited, saying: Who am not worthy to be called an apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but obtained mercy (I Corinthians XV). He shows himself struck beneficially so that he might live better after the blow, when he says: Nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me (Galatians II). Not only those who are converted but also those who, having received the word of truth, do not care to turn away from depravity, are struck from Evila to Sur: because perpetually allocated to sufferings, they endure the just sentence of divine strictness, which is opposite Egypt; because he will repay them according to the wickedness of their pursuits. And these too, at Samuel's command, Saul strikes, while the same teacher of the Church, according to the admonitions of holy Scripture, corrects the obedient for life and rightly predicts the damnation of the despisers.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:8

And he took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, etc. Thus far, Saul's struggle distinguished him as an excellent and discerning ruler, either of himself or of the people subject to him. From this point on, it marks him as indolent and reprobate, who rightly spared the innocent kinsmen of Moses. He rightly destroys all the common people and vile and reprobate things; but he incorrectly spares the flocks of sheep, other animals that are on the earth, garments, and all beautiful things, along with the king himself. The leaders of spiritual warfare must exterminate all those who oppose God's servants fleeing from intellectual Egypt—that is, the darkness of the world—whether they be men or reprobate actions, with the sword of the word and the rectitude of life; but whatever they find innocent and Mosaic among them, they ought to preserve unharmed. However, those who strive only to eradicate detestable and unspeakable things, such as fornication, idolatry, perjury, the concubinage of men, thefts, false testimonies, and other such crimes, either in their own morals or in those of their subjects, a…

And he took Agag, king of Amalek, alive, etc. Thus far, Saul's struggle distinguished him as an excellent and discerning ruler, either of himself or of the people subject to him. From this point on, it marks him as indolent and reprobate, who rightly spared the innocent kinsmen of Moses. He rightly destroys all the common people and vile and reprobate things; but he incorrectly spares the flocks of sheep, other animals that are on the earth, garments, and all beautiful things, along with the king himself. The leaders of spiritual warfare must exterminate all those who oppose God's servants fleeing from intellectual Egypt—that is, the darkness of the world—whether they be men or reprobate actions, with the sword of the word and the rectitude of life; but whatever they find innocent and Mosaic among them, they ought to preserve unharmed. However, those who strive only to eradicate detestable and unspeakable things, such as fornication, idolatry, perjury, the concubinage of men, thefts, false testimonies, and other such crimes, either in their own morals or in those of their subjects, and do not wish to destroy drunkenness and revelries, contentions and jealousies, greed, hatred, and the desire for vain glory or honor, as if these were less harmful or even beneficial, as well as the king of vices himself, that most fattened one, the swelling of pride, indeed incur the guilt of very grievous transgression. Because of this merit of guilt, and exemplifying Saul, the kingdom of God was once taken from the people of the Jews and given to a nation producing its fruits. And many Christians today leave the promised crown of life, which was awarded to them, to be obtained by others. Here too, according to the letter, we are most healthily admonished that the authority of the divine command should always prevail in us over human affection. For man, through foolish pity, spares man, whom God has commanded not to be spared; as if man knew better what should be done with man than He who made man (Eccl. X). Agag not only designates pride by the authority of the kingdom (because the beginning of all sin is pride), but also by his name, which is translated to “roof,” because often contained by the knowledge of neighbors, the arrogance of haughtiness swells in the hearts of the wicked. However, Saul seizes King Agag alive, and the crowd kills him, who eradicates the vices of the flesh, knowing how to distinguish their head, pride, from virtues through disputation, and defining how harmful it is, but does not know how to extinguish it in himself by living humbly. And Saul spares Agag, and the people also spare him, when even the very leader of virtues in his heart softly nods to the pride lying hidden in his innermost parts; and the entire company of spiritual works following him is corrupted by the assent to this nefarious swelling.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:10
Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, etc. The repentance of God is not a disturbance of the mind, which often befalls men as they reconsider the evil they have committed thoughtlessly; rather, it is called a change in passing things, while the immutable divine foresight remains; for just as not repenting signifies unwillingness to change what has been established. The Lord has sworn and will not repent: You are a priest forever (Psalm 109); this means that what He has once established, He has never changed the priesthood of Christ. However, Saul repented of having been made king; because even the treachery of the entire people of Judea and the false faith of Christians deprives him of the promise of the kingdom's favor.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:11
And Samuel was grieved, etc. These are not to be explained allegorically but rather are to be drawn to the imitation of virtue: so that for the errors of brothers, which they themselves cannot yet understand in themselves, we should not only be grieved in spirit but also cry out to the Lord for them with all intention; and furthermore, whenever the place and time allow, we should take care to recall them to the recognition and correction of their faults.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:12
And when Samuel had risen from the night to go to Saul in the morning, etc. Carmel means knowledge of circumcision; Gilgal means revelation. Therefore, many, not yet fully having conquered the struggle of vices, promise themselves with confident assurance of the crown of righteousness as if having completed a perfect purification; this is a sign of raising a triumphal confidence in themselves of a struggle already completed, and this on the highest mountain of virtues, which is called the knowledge of circumcision. And after this, they descend into revelation, when they themselves, after ascending the summit of virtues and tasting the joy of heavenly reward, in true humility glory that they truly see with the revealed face of the heart the secrets, about which the Lord says to the Father: You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to little children (Matthew 11, Luke 10).

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:13
And Saul said to him: Blessed are you to the Lord, etc. Understand the voice of flocks and herds, the uncontrolled movements of the mind, and the tumultuous thoughts of arrogant hearts; for whoever neglects to subdue and repress these within himself, vainly boasts that he has fulfilled the word of the Lord, which commanded the destruction of all vices.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:15

And Saul said: They brought them from Amalek, etc. The prophet, though unwilling, confesses this with a guilty conscience; for not only to God, to whose eyes all things are naked and open, but also to spiritual men, the deceitful hearts of the wicked are evident. For Elisha, though Gehazi was far away, was present in heart. And the Apostle, absent in body, but present in spirit, rebukes the sinner in Corinth. From the examples, he says, they brought back the manifold cries of brutish and lascivious desires. The imprudent mind spared these vices, which seemed less harmful, nor did it care to destroy them; rather, it considered these very things as virtues, and thought they should be gratefully offered to their author. For example, by considering foolishness as simplicity, calling the insolence of anger the zeal of Phinehas and Elijah, considering the sluggishness of sloth as the patience of David, and calling the tightness of parsimony the discretion of moderation; and notably, and equally to be avoided, is the most depraved habit of the wicked, who are accustomed to accumulate their…

And Saul said: They brought them from Amalek, etc. The prophet, though unwilling, confesses this with a guilty conscience; for not only to God, to whose eyes all things are naked and open, but also to spiritual men, the deceitful hearts of the wicked are evident. For Elisha, though Gehazi was far away, was present in heart. And the Apostle, absent in body, but present in spirit, rebukes the sinner in Corinth. From the examples, he says, they brought back the manifold cries of brutish and lascivious desires. The imprudent mind spared these vices, which seemed less harmful, nor did it care to destroy them; rather, it considered these very things as virtues, and thought they should be gratefully offered to their author. For example, by considering foolishness as simplicity, calling the insolence of anger the zeal of Phinehas and Elijah, considering the sluggishness of sloth as the patience of David, and calling the tightness of parsimony the discretion of moderation; and notably, and equally to be avoided, is the most depraved habit of the wicked, who are accustomed to accumulate their faults by excusing them. For behold, Saul claims that he, along with the people, killed those things which, at the Lord's command, were to be killed; but he asserts that the people, not he, spared those things which were reserved against His interdiction. And many negligent and lazy people, if they have overcome any vices, or think they have overcome them, do not attribute this to the grace of the author, but to their own effort. But whatever they do not want or cannot extinguish in themselves, they claim that these are due to the flaw of an inherent nature, so that indirectly, and as a cause of human guilt, they may ascribe it back to the Author of nature Himself.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:16
But Samuel said to Saul: Leave me, and I will tell you, etc. Above, we read that Saul on the day was anointed king; on the day that he should be anointed, and now at night he is shown to be rejected. This is not by chance and without reason, but because the day sometimes signifies justice, night sin, he was chosen by day, and rejected by night, who due to the modesty of humility deserved to rule, due to the sin of disobedience he deserved to be rejected, not by divine judgment, but by the varying merit of man. But today the Lord saying: For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20); whoever is called, by deeds of darkness is separated from the light of the chosen.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:17

And Samuel said: Were you not small in your own eyes? etc. And this rebuke of blessed Samuel is fitting for any Christian transgressing the faith with which he was imbued; someone saying to him, one of the spiritual teachers, whose likeness Samuel presents: Were you not humbled in your mind for the past life, which was without God, when you came to the Church, having already received the grace of faith and baptism, made a principal in exercising the fruits of the Spirit? Through which you should reach the vision of divine clarity. For Israel means a man seeing God. And the Lord anointed you with the chrism of His Spirit, so that being a ruler and moderator of good deeds you might belong to the dominion of the eternal King. And sending you on the way of a new conversation, having defeated the old man with his deeds, He commanded you to mortify all things which are earthly part by part. Why then, disregarding the evangelical and apostolic voice, did you prefer to establish another rule of living for yourself, and to gather the spoils of vices? in which sometimes even if you seemed to d…

And Samuel said: Were you not small in your own eyes? etc. And this rebuke of blessed Samuel is fitting for any Christian transgressing the faith with which he was imbued; someone saying to him, one of the spiritual teachers, whose likeness Samuel presents: Were you not humbled in your mind for the past life, which was without God, when you came to the Church, having already received the grace of faith and baptism, made a principal in exercising the fruits of the Spirit? Through which you should reach the vision of divine clarity. For Israel means a man seeing God. And the Lord anointed you with the chrism of His Spirit, so that being a ruler and moderator of good deeds you might belong to the dominion of the eternal King. And sending you on the way of a new conversation, having defeated the old man with his deeds, He commanded you to mortify all things which are earthly part by part. Why then, disregarding the evangelical and apostolic voice, did you prefer to establish another rule of living for yourself, and to gather the spoils of vices? in which sometimes even if you seemed to deceive the eyes of mortals, before the judgment of the internal arbiter you did a great evil.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:20
And Saul said to Samuel: "Rather, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord," etc. How much this response of Saul suits the stubbornness of the rebellious proud ones is very easily evident from what was previously explained. For there are those who, convicted either by the reading of the Holy Scripture or by the speech of teachers, and reproved for their committed faults, prefer to seek an increase of their sins by excusing themselves rather than humbly seeking remedy.

Commentary on Samuel
1 Samuel 15:22

And Samuel said: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices?" etc. These words indeed specifically pertain to the Jews, who, neglecting justice, mercy, and faith, and similar things, thought they could please the Lord through sacrifices and burnt offerings. But even now in the Church there are not a few burdened equally by wealth and crimes, who, while not ceasing to cling to their sins, trust that they can wash away their sins with daily alms. There are others who believe they cleanse themselves from the filth of vices, from which they do not care to abstain, by fasting, prayers, and frequent singing of psalms, while the Lord commands such offerings only from those who abstain from sin. Finally, the Psalmist does not say, "Do good among evil works"; but, he says, "Turn away from evil, and do good" (Psalm 36). And the leper or the unclean person in the law was not commanded to offer sacrifices to God while in their impurity, but wherever they were seen to be cleansed from it. However, it should be noted that he does not call sacrifices bad, but says obedience is better…

And Samuel said: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices?" etc. These words indeed specifically pertain to the Jews, who, neglecting justice, mercy, and faith, and similar things, thought they could please the Lord through sacrifices and burnt offerings. But even now in the Church there are not a few burdened equally by wealth and crimes, who, while not ceasing to cling to their sins, trust that they can wash away their sins with daily alms. There are others who believe they cleanse themselves from the filth of vices, from which they do not care to abstain, by fasting, prayers, and frequent singing of psalms, while the Lord commands such offerings only from those who abstain from sin. Finally, the Psalmist does not say, "Do good among evil works"; but, he says, "Turn away from evil, and do good" (Psalm 36). And the leper or the unclean person in the law was not commanded to offer sacrifices to God while in their impurity, but wherever they were seen to be cleansed from it. However, it should be noted that he does not call sacrifices bad, but says obedience is better, to show that those too are good in their own time. He does not criticize the law, but prefers the Gospel. He says the people of the law are worthy of praise because they offered holocausts from their flocks to their Creator with pious devotion of heart; but he designates as much more praiseworthy the one who, according to the counsel of the Gospel, offers their body as a living sacrifice, holy, and pleasing to God.

Commentary on Samuel