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 Piety, obedience, and  truthfulness. Young  Samuel  did  not  let  himself be led  away  by  the  bad  example  of  Heli’s  sons,  but  rather  imitated the piety  of  the  aged  High  Priest,  and  was  zealous  in  the  performance of the  work  given  him  to  do  for  God. He was  obedient  to  Heli,  whose own sons  had  renounced  the  obedience  due  to  him. Each time  during the night  that  he  heard  his  name  called  he  sprang  from  his  bed,  and ran to  Heli,  saying:  “Here  am  I!”  Thus  promptly  and  cheerfully  should all children  obey  their  parents  and  those  set  over  them. Samuel showed his truthfulness  when  Heli  asked  him  what  the  Lord  had  revealed  to him. It pained  him  to  say  anything  disagreeable  to  the  kind  old  High Priest, but,  being  asked,  he  told  him  everything. Thus you,  too,  should always speak  the  truth  when  questioned  by  those  set  over  you.

''Sacrilege. Reverence in  the  House  of  God.''  Heli’s  sons  were  impious and dissolute. They dishonoured  the  Sanctuary,  and  brought  sacrifices into disrepute. If the  desecration  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Old  Covenant was such  a great  sin,  how  much  more  ought  we  to  guard  against  any desecration of  our  churches  I If  any  wrong  conduct  relating  to  the typical sacrifices  of  the  Old  Testament  was  so  severely  punished,  how sinful and  criminal  must  it  be  for  Christians  to  behave  irreverently  during the Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  even  talk,  laugh  &amp;c.!

Punishment of  disobedient  children.  If  the  sons  of  Heli  had  hearkened to and  obeyed  the  injunctions  of  their  good  father,  they  would  not  have been punished  by  God. But as  they  would  not  listen  to  his  warnings, they died  a violent  death,  and  their  names  have  ever  since  been  associated with  ignominy.

Sharing in  the  guilt  of  others.  Heli  was  a virtuous,  God-fearing  man. He was  so  anxious  about  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  that  the  news  of  its capture affected  him  more  than  the  news  of  the  death  of  his  sons. Moreover, he  was  entirely  resigned  to  God’s  will,  when  Samuel  announced to him  his  approaching  punishment. “It is  the  Lord; let  Him  do  what is good  in  His  sight!”  Why,  then,  was  this  virtuous  servant  of  God punished by  sudden  death? God Himself  said  that  it  was  because  he did  not  correct  his  sons. He was  too  good-natured  and  weak  towards them. He ought  to  have  been  strict  with  them  when  they  were  young, and to  have  punished  them  severely  when  they  would  not  listen  to  his injunctions. “He who  will  not  hear  must  feel.”  He  was  too  indulgent; he said  to  himself  that  they  would  be  more  reasonable  and  would  improve as  they  grew  older. Instead of  this  they  grew  up  quite  beyond control, became  accustomed  to  evil,  and  no  more  consulted  their  father about anything. Now I ask  you:  Was  it  for  the  good  of  these  men that their  father  should  be  so  indulgent  towards  them,  and  should  never correct them? How much  sorrow  and  suffering  would  Heli  have  spared himself, how  much  trouble  would  he  have  avoided,  if  he  had  corrected his sons  betimes! As he  did  not  do  so,  he  shared  in  their  guilt,  and was punished  by  God. Children, if  they  take  advantage  of  their  parents’