When reading through the stories of the Bible, it is completely understandable for modern skeptics to dismiss all of the fantastic stories and miraculous details that seem so prevalent. It just so happens that before the advent of things like cameras or video recorders, miracles and direct communication with God were abundant, whereas when we now can show proof of these things, miracles and communication with God seem completely absent. Understanding this issue, many modern theologians began to question the reality of these ancient miraculous events as well; it became expected for biblical scholars to find rational explanations for supernatural things in Scripture. This is a travesty; there are modern examples of great miraculous events, though we are blinded from doubt caused by scientism to recognize these miracles and the individuals who try to show them to us.

The Bible is framed by accounts of devout and holy people, but these people are not of one single disposition. Some are humble, some are powerful, and some seem downright crazy. The saints of Church history are continuations of these persons. There are humble saints, powerful saints, and even saints that seem crazy, but they all embody what it means to be holy. The “crazy” ones are worth pointing out, because they lived out an unconventional and intense holiness by choice. In the Old Testament, there are figures like Samson and Samuel. In the New Testament, John the Baptist is the best example of this. These three figures belonged to a Jewish group called the Nazirites, who took upon themselves strict disciplines to aid in their worship of God. Nazirites could take temporary vows, but some took lifelong vows, and these three figures seem to have chosen to be lifelong Nazirites. In John’s case, it was destined for him to take a lifelong Naziritic vow when the angel Gabriel appeared to his father Zechariah.

This intense religiosity can probably best be found in the cloistered monasteries and abbeys that exist today. Someone who exemplified the modern Naziritic lifestyle in the example of John was St. Pio of Pietrelcina, a Capuchin friar whose life story can only be described as intense. There are countless miraculous events attributed to him, all of which are extraordinary, that are well-documented because he lived in our time (he died in 1968), and cannot be explained by science. How often do we focus on examples of the miraculous like this instead of debating what may or may not be realistic in the Bible? Sometimes, childlike confidence is a powerful tool in recognizing God’s miraculous works. The intense figures of our Faith invite us to look into those things.

Repetition is one of the clearest signs of significance in Scripture. When we see the same detail over and over again throughout the Bible in different books, clearly God is trying to convey a message that is meant to be revealed through stringing these moments together to see the pattern. An example of this type of repetition is the image of a barren woman being told that she will miraculously conceive a child. Being barren looks different according to the specific story this image is attached to: it could be due to old age, simply not being able to conceive, or as in the unique case of Mary, her virginity. Something must unite these figures who are results of the miraculous conception. Think of Isaac, Samuel, John the Baptist, and Jesus. The links between these figures are fairly clear: Isaac was the promise of descendants given in the first Covenant God had with the Jews in Abraham, Samuel was the first of the prophets, John the Baptist was the last and greatest of the prophets who prepared the way of the Lord, and Jesus was the culmination of these figures through the new and everlasting covenant.

In this passage from Judges, we learn about the miraculous conception of someone else, whose story is still pretty famous, yet is not held to the same standard of greatness as the above-mentioned names. Samson’s reputation is just as intimidating and frightful as the angel who shared with his mother that she would miraculously conceive a child. He was a powerful figure whose strength came from God alone; although we know well the story involving him and Delilah, we forget about the details that set Samson apart from all others. How does he relate to Isaac, Samuel, John, or even Jesus? We are given in this passage a description of how this child was to conduct himself: he will not drink wine or strong drink, he will not eat anything unclean, and a razor will not touch his head. This description lines up perfectly with the lifestyle of a group called the Nazirites, who existed at the time when the Temple stood. The Nazirites made a personal consecration for themselves to live according to a certain ascetic code, identical to the one expected of Samson. Some Nazirites chose to practice this devotion for a certain length of time after making their solemn vow within the Temple in the dedicated area. Some made their vows for a short amount of time, while others made it for life. Knowing the story of Samson, he was obviously an imperfect Nazirite; however, we see the similarities between his conception and John the Baptist’s. When we compare the two, from their conception to their adulthood, we ought to come to the realization that John was also a Nazirite who consecrated himself for life.

What does it mean to be a Nazirite in the time of the Temple or a monk or cloistered nun in today’s age? Tying this back to those who were results of miraculous conceptions, from Isaac to Jesus, we must realize that there was an expectation from God that, although He was giving these children as a gift to their barren mothers, these children were not to be kept. They were gifts that were meant to be given. None of these figures lived “normal” lives; instead, they gave up their lives, either through a form of asceticism or literally in sacrifice (both in the attempt of Isaac’s sacrifice and the actual sacrifice of Christ). When God gives you things, it is not to be kept. It is meant to be shared, then given back to Him in such a way that it is transformed by your own love, the love of a mother, or the love for the one who gives. When we give our lives back to God or present our children to Him as His own, He will make great use of them.