1 Samuel 3:20

28. By these names of the land, indeed, the whole of Judea is designated. What then is designated in all of Judea except the entire Church? The whole of Israel, therefore, recognizes that Samuel is a prophet of the Lord, because indeed everyone who is faithful believes that the order of holy preachers speaks truly about things to come. For the office of a prophet is both to foretell the future and to reveal hidden things. Moreover, the holy preachers of the Church, when they detect whatever hidden vices lurk in the mind, when they open up the secrets of spiritual virtues, when they bring forth the hidden meanings of the Holy Scriptures to common knowledge, when they promise anew the future joys of the heavenly homeland to the chosen faithful, exercise the ministry of a prophet. By all Israel, therefore, Samuel is recognized as a faithful prophet of the Lord, because one who does not place faith in the teachers of the holy Church cannot see the almighty Lord by faith. And because that same glory of divine knowledge remained in the holy Church, which first revealed itself to the early teachers, it is added: (Verse 21.) And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh.

30. For what is designated by Dan except the simple, and what by Beersheba except the wise? From Dan even to Beersheba Samuel is acknowledged as the faithful prophet of the Lord, when the life of a chosen preacher is set forth to the simple as an example of salvation, and to the wise the mysteries of Holy Scripture are revealed through his teaching. But since Beersheba is interpreted as "the seventh well," by Beersheba can be designated not only the wise, but also the righteous. For what is the seventh well except the grace of the sevenfold Spirit? By Dan the life of sinners is shown, because it is said through the ancient prophet: 'Let Dan be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, biting the horse's heels, so that his rider shall fall backward' (Gen. 49:17). Therefore from Dan even to Beersheba Samuel is known as the prophet of the Lord, since the life and teaching of a chosen preacher is venerable both to sinners and to the righteous—so that in him, namely, the fallen may see the good by which they may correct themselves through repentance, and the good may marvel at the loftiness of life toward which they may daily grow stronger by advancing. There follows: (Verse 21.) And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh.

And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized, etc. And the Catholic, that is, the universal Church, the spiritual Israel, which has been gathered from the beginnings of renouncing the devil to the font of baptism, knows that Jesus Christ, who is called "God with Us," is the preacher of faith. For Dan is interpreted as "judgment." It signifies that time for the Church, of which it is said: "Now is the judgment of this world, now the prince of this world will be cast out" (John 12). Beersheba, however, which is interpreted as "well of the oath," or "seventh well," or "well of satisfaction," signifies the full reception of baptism, when, with the devil exorcised, renounced, and expelled from the heart, each one enters the font of regeneration to be consecrated by the sevenfold grace of the Spirit and to be filled by the abundance of heavenly gifts. Even the very location of these places alludes not insignificantly to the sacraments of the Church, because the terminus of the land of Judea was Dan to the north and Beersheba to the south, a mystical distance well known to those who can sing with the spouse: "Awake, O north wind, and come, south wind, blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out" (Cant. 4). Dan, moreover, is a village about four miles from Paneas towards Tyre, from which place the river Jordan takes its name, as Jor means "river" or "stream" in Hebrew; this also not insignificantly points to the beginning of baptism. Furthermore, Beersheba is a city or village in the tribe of Judah, lying to the south, as we have said. Therefore, all Israel, that is, the people of Christians intent upon the vision of God, from Dan to Beersheba, from the north to the south, that is, from the catechumens to the faithful, from those who have just now expelled the harsh blasts of the ancient enemy, to those who have already been filled with the most radiant warmth of the Holy Spirit, recognizes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believers have eternal life in His name. In this reading, the person of blessed Samuel may well be referred to those very members of Christ, exalted by the merit of pure humility, about whom He Himself says: "Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18). Those sleeping in the temple of the Lord, that is, who have turned away from the external cares of the world with…