Last week, I said that if you have debt problems, think of Samson. We ended last week with Samson having wrecked havoc on the Philistines by killing a thousand of them with the jawbone of a donkey. Samson was a “Nazarite” who had dedicated his life to God, my God, the God of Moses and Israel, who asked his only Son, Jesus, to become man and die on the cross, to redeem mankind from the consequences of sin. Jesus willingly agreed to become incarnate through the Blessed Virgin Mary, and die for us so that we may have eternal life with Him and His Father, because they both love us so despite our sinful nature. We are so fortunate to have such a Loving God.

Samson then falls in love with Delilah. He sees Delilah for the first time benching 500 lbs at the gym and, it’s love at first sight. But the Philistines hate Samson and they want to capture him. The Philistines who worship the false god Dagon who is said to have the head of a bull with a single horn in the middle of his forehead and the body of a man, bribe Delilah with 1,000 pieces to find out the secret of Samson’s strength. God gave Samson supernatural strength provided both mother and son must abstain from all alcoholic beverages and that no razor shall touch the hair of Samson.

The Philistines are becoming desperate because they cannot capture Samson because of his superhuman strength. Imagine trying to capture Superman without kryptonite. It’s an impossible task. Delilah implores Samson to tell her the secret of his strength. Samson teases Delilah by saying that if she tied him with fresh bowstrings, he would become weak. She ties him with fresh bowstrings as he sleeps, but when he wakes up, he easily snaps the bowstrings. Samson teases Delilah by answering that if she tied him with new rope, he would become weak. Delilah ties him with new rope but again he wakes up and easily snaps the rope. On the third night, Samson tells Delilah that if his locks are woven together, he would become weak. Delilah’s maid weaves his 7 locks together while he slept, but the next morning Samson is attacked by a raging bull which he kills with his pinky. Delilah begs Samson for his secret. Samson whose weakness is beautiful women who will betray him tells Delilah that if his locks were shorn, he would lose his strength.

Delilah takes a razor and cuts off all his hair when he sleeps. Unlike Superman, whose hair can only be cut with scissors that are edged with kryptonite, Samson’s hair can be cut with an ordinary razor. The next morning, Philistine soldiers barge into the room and Samson is easily subdued. With his hair gone, his “Nazarite” oath to God is broken, and the Spirit of God leaves him. Samson is incarcerated, and in prison, they pluck out his eyes with a knife. They tie the blind and bald Samson to a stone mill where is left to grind wheat. Months and years pass, and of course, his hair grows back. But the Philistines have forgotten about Samson’s source of superhuman strength. To mock Samson, the Philistines bring him to a public structure that is supported by two main columns where 4 thousand Philistines are preparing to have an orgy in front of their false god Dagon. A dozen Philistine pygmies wielding short spears harass Samson by poking him with spears.

Samson wedges himself between the two columns, stretches out his arms and pushes against the two columns. Samson calls out to God, apologizes for what he has done, and begs God to give him back his strength one last time. God hears the pleas of Samson and the Spirit of God enters Samson once again. Once again, Samson is possessed of superhuman strength! He sneezes and all the pygmies are blown away. Eventually, the structure collapses and implodes, killing all the Philistines and Samson.