First Reading
Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.
13:2Now there was a certain man of Saraa, and of the race of Dan, whose name was Manue, and his wife was barren.
3And an angel of the Lord appeared to her, and said: You are barren and without children: but you shall conceive and bear a son.
4Now therefore beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing.
5Because you shall conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall touch his head: for he shall be a Nazarite of God, from his infancy, and from his mother's womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.
6And when she was come to her husband she said to him: A man of God came to me, having the face of an angel, very awful. And when I asked him who he was, and whence he came, and by what name he was called, he would not tell me.
7But he answered thus: Look you shall conceive and bear a son: beware you drink no wine, nor strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite of God from his infancy, from his mother's womb until the day of his death.
24And she bore a son, and called his name Samson. And the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.
25And the spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp of Dan, between Saraa and Esthaol.