At this point in the season of Advent, the spirit of anticipation is palpable in the Church’s liturgy. In today’s beautiful balance of our readings, we see the birth of two key figures in the Judeo-Christian story, Samson and John the Baptist. Sr. Ephrem Hollermann asks us to ponder the similarities between Samson of the Hebrew Scriptures and John the Baptist of the New Testament. In the time of Judges, an angel appeared to the wife of Manoah and said, “you will conceive and bear a son . . . who will begin the deliverance of Israel.” Six or seven centuries later, an angel told Zechariah, “your wife Elizabeth will bear a son…to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” The spirit stirred both Samson and John to begin their work. In Judges, we read of Samson, “And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him.” Of John, we read in Luke, “the word of the Lord came to John.” God inspired both Samson and John the Baptist to begin their work, yet both died in seeming defeat. Samson never lived to see Israel delivered, and John was beheaded during his imprisonment. Samson oversaw the weakening of Israel’s oppressors, preparing the way for David, from whom the Messiah would come. John the Baptist would announce the Messianic mission, fulfilled by Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection. Although Samson and John were men that God used in remarkable ways, their unique roles were to prepare for David and David’s heir, the Messiah. This was their true calling. Despite their differences, they were preludes to what would follow.