St. Barthlomew

Samson is one of the most striking figures in the Old Testament—a man gifted by God with extraordinary physical strength to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines (Judges 13–16). Born as a result of divine promise to his barren mother, Samson was consecrated as a Nazirite, called to a life of holiness and separation for God’s purposes.

His strength was not from himself, but from the Spirit of the Lord, who empowered him to perform mighty feats—killing a lion with his bare hands, defeating an army with the jawbone of a donkey, and tearing down city gates. Yet despite his calling, Samson struggled with impulsiveness and entanglements with Philistine women, especially Delilah, who ultimately betrayed him.

After revealing the secret of his strength—his uncut hair—Samson was captured, blinded, and humiliated. Yet in his final act, he repented and prayed, “O Lord God, strengthen me just once more” (Judges 16:28). God answered, and Samson brought down the Philistine temple by pushing apart its pillars, sacrificing himself and slaying many enemies in his death.

Samson’s life is a paradox—marked by both divine strength and human weakness. Yet it points to the truth that God can work through broken vessels and that repentance can restore even the fallen.