Father Mike Schmitz hosts The Bible in a Year podcast from Ascension, reading through The Bible using The Great Adventure Bible timeline. He uses the revised standard version, second Catholic edition from The Great Adventure Bible by Ascension.

Day 93 covers Judges chapters 12-15 and Psalm 146, featuring the conclusion of Jephthah's judgeship and the beginning of Samson's story. The reading includes intertribal conflict, the births and brief reigns of several judges, and Samson's early exploits against the Philistines.

Father Mike reflects on the theme of barren couples longing for children, connecting Samson's parents to similar biblical narratives. He emphasizes how Samson represents both divine strength and human weakness, drawing lessons about addressing personal flaws rather than dismissing them.

Tribal Warfare and the Shibboleth Test

The Ephraimites confronted Jephthah for not calling them to fight the Ammonites, threatening to burn his house with fire.

Gileadites used pronunciation as a deadly test: "Then say Shiboleth. And he said, Siboleth, for he could not pronounce it right."

42,000 Ephraimites were killed at the Jordan fords for failing the pronunciation test, demonstrating the brutal nature of tribal divisions.

The Divine Announcement of Samson's Birth

An angel appeared to Manoah's barren wife, announcing she would bear a son who would "begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines."

The child was to be "a Nazarite to God from birth," requiring no razor on his head and no wine or unclean food.

When Manoah asked the angel's name, he replied "Why do you ask my name? Seeing it is wonderful," then ascended in the altar flame.

Father Mike notes this represents one of only three biblical examples of lifelong Nazarites, along with John the Baptist and possibly Samuel.

Samson's Strength and Fatal Weaknesses

Samson tore apart a lion "as one tears a kid" when "the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him," but violated his vow by eating honey from its carcass.

His riddle "Out of the eater came something to eat, out of the strong came something sweet" led to betrayal by his Philistine wife.

In revenge, Samson caught 300 foxes, tied torches to their tails, and burned Philistine crops, escalating the conflict.

Using a donkey's jawbone, Samson "slew a thousand men" while declaring "With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps."

Father Mike observes that Samson's childhood hero status from Action Bible reading masked his moral failures and lack of wisdom.

Lessons on Strength and Weakness

"Samson is strong, but he's not wise. Samson is consecrated, but he actually isn't living a consecrated life" - Father Mike

Father Mike emphasizes that "those strengths do not make up for the weakness. We have to actually address the weakness."

The invitation is to "acknowledge our strengths, praise the Lord for the times where the Spirit of the Lord does come upon us, but also address the weakness."

Rather than despair or dismiss weaknesses, believers should "bring them and entrust them to the Lord" for purification and healing.