1 Samuel 9:8

Behold, a fourth part of a silver shekel is found in my hand, etc. Understand that the silver shekel represents the perfection of human salvation, which progresses toward praising God; it attains its complete solidity through the increase of four parts: for in the Old Testament, it is raised by the future faith in the Lord's incarnation; in the New Testament, it is imbued with the sacraments of the same assumed incarnation; in the dissolution of the flesh, it is elevated by the reception of the eternal kingdom; and on the day of judgment, it will also be glorified by the resurrection of the flesh. Therefore, his servant says to Saul: Behold, a fourth part of a silver shekel is found in my hand; let us give it to the man of God, so that he may show us our way. The old faithful people, longing for the sweetness of new grace, say to Christ, who encourages them to good works: Behold, there is found in me the hope and faith of Christ to come in the flesh. Let us confess this to the ministers of the Incarnate Word, so that they may instruct us more fully about our way, which is Christ. Nor in vain does the servant, with Saul who signifies Christ, promise to do these things. For it is He who works in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2).

Let the servant therefore say: "Let us go there, if perhaps he may show us about our way." But let Saul look upon himself as empty—because the Holy Spirit, while he instructs the senses of those living uprightly, makes them now bold, now timid. Bold indeed, so that they may venture forth; timid, lest they become proud. He impels them to seek what is necessary; he holds them back, lest by presuming too much they fall into the vice of rashness. And because those whom he makes fearful he raises up to venture forth through the strength of confidence, it is suddenly added: "And so the servant of Saul answered again and said: Behold, there is found in my hand a fourth part of a silver stater; let us give it to the man of God, and he will show us about our way." As it were, the boy speaks the good understanding of the chosen man, when he is impelled to speak by the direction of the Holy Spirit. What then is it that he says: "There is found in my hand a fourth part of a stater of silver"? What is this part of a stater of silver? But because by the name of silver the divine words are signified, silver in the hand of the boy is the divine word in the power of knowing. Indeed, it is one thing to be able to speak the word, and another to be able to feel it. For even the reprobate speak the divine words, but none except the elect can truly feel them. For that thing is truly felt whose power is recognized. For the sick also eat fish, but the force of their sickness takes from them the experience of taste, so that what they seem to eat, they are prevented from also tasting. Just so indeed, all carnal persons, when they speak of heavenly things which they do not love, like the sick make use of things which they are prevented from tasting. Therefore silver is found in the hand of the boy, when through the merit of humility holy men receive the heavenly things they speak of with great affection of charity, so that it is very sweet for them to speak of heavenly things, because they are sweetly, and indeed very sweetly, satisfied through love. Whence also it is written: "The poor shall eat and be satisfied" (Psalm 21:27). For because the food of the soul is the word of God, the poor eat and are satisfied, but the rich cannot be satisfied; because indeed the elect, who love heavenly things, as often as they hear these things, are more fervently inflamed toward them; while the…