Saul was angry because he experienced the consequences of his actions. Are you really following God? Are you living a life of partial obedience to the Church? Do you find it easier to be obedient when you know people are looking? Have you been struggling with some area of your life that you know needs to be surrendered to God? How do you avoid the consequences of disobedience? OBEY. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice...For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1 Sam 15:22-23).

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LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on her method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.

L - Listen (Receive the Word.)

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O - Observe (Choose one or more of the following personality approaches to connect the passage to your life and recent events.)

F | Franciscan – Is there some area of your life that you have withheld from God? What's the first small step you can take toward full obedience? What might the consequences of your continued disobedience be?

I | Ignatian –  As you read the passage and imagine the exchange between Samuel and Saul, what thoughts arise? Are you Samuel, or are you Saul? 

A | Augustinian – In what area of your life have you been less than fully obedient to God or to the Church? What's the first small step you can take toward full obedience? What might the consequences of your continued disobedience be?

T | Thomistic – "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice... For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1 Sam 15:22-23). Why is disobedience likened to witchcraft and/or idolatry in this verse?

V - Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.)

Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin.

E - Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!)

Jesus, Almighty Lord, You Who obeyed Your Father to the end, teach me the meaning of obedience. I long to please you and to obey Your will. My worldly nature seeks one way, while my spiritual nature seeks another. Bless me with the strength to obey, that my soul may subdue both natures, blending them into perfect prayer. Grant me the grace to always obey You until my last breath. Amen.+ 

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*Find out your prayer temperament with this quiz! LOVE the Word® exercises are offered according to FIAT: the four personalities, or "prayer forms," explored in Prayer and Temperament, by Chester Michael and Marie Norrisey: Franciscan, Ignatian, Augustinian, and Thomistic: FIAT! These prayer forms correspond to the Myers-Briggs personality types.

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You can download a complete, word-for-word transcript here, when it becomes available, courtesy of Dora Donovan who does our transcripts for you.