.
Interestingly enough, a sheepfold is an enclosure or pen for the sheep.
King Saul was looking for a safe place to sleep in his hunt for David who was his rival. His men and sentries were in a bivouac outside. He was safe. Maybe!
If Saul had not done things his way instead of God’s then he would not need 3000 troops to hunt for David and protect himself. Saul would have lived if he had abdicated his throne to David who Saul knew was part of God’s will. Saul would not have needed protection or been in trouble with God.
Fast forward to me in 2024. I should have serviced my car at the end of last year. The result was that it broke down in a snow storm this week. Yes, the following quotes are coming at me. “I would have, or I should have serviced it and maybe it would not have broken down”.
Still, David’s insistence that the anointed of God not be harmed. We, also, have been anointed by God at Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. We have been anointed many times because of the Sacraments. Each anointing has special privileges and responsibilities.
As all sheep we need a leader, but the power of anointing comes with responsibilities to keep God’s commandments and do His will and not ours. Husbands and wives might be tempted to be unfaithful and may act on it, but they are going against the will of God. An unfaithful act might be to take advantage or humiliate our spouse. When scripture says when the two shall become as one means that kindness and gentleness to ourselves, as well as, our mate. Abuse was never a part of the marriage vows and never will be.
Similarly, a Priest has a responsibility to his flock. We forget that our Priests are human. The priests at my church are intelligent and passionate about their calling to the priesthood. I admire them but also give them space to be human. We have a super club where a priest may or may not attend the meals at our parishioner’s homes. We have to respect their calling but also their humanity.
Anointing gives us help to be a good priest, husband, wife or single person. We belong to God and even if we try to do things our way. His way is the best. David knew That the anointing by Samuel when he was a young boy did not supersede the anointing of Saul as King.
At Baptism we were sinless. We have a way to get back to that sinless state by the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we receive the blessing of the sick, we have a blessing to glorify God whether we are healed or not. Anointing does not give us power as David had with his “cloak of invisibility” but gives us help to do God’s will in our lives. That is what happened with David and Saul.
In conclusion, anointings that we have received are also responsibilities to respond to the will of God in our lives.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for children everywhere who are suffering. Pray for peace!
