St. Samuel Infused Oil

History

Samuel had many roles throughout his tenure as a Nazarite, a judge, and a prophet. But perhaps one of the most memorable things about Samuel is that he oversaw the ushering in of a new era: the beginning of the kings of Israel. Israel’s time of judges was merely a transitory period before they demanded to have a king of their own so that they might be like the other nations. The Lord abided by their request and granted their petition (but only after a fair warning about what was to come with the rule of an earthly king).

So Samuel was tasked with anointing Saul, the first king. The Lord sent Saul Samuel’s way and told Samuel in a vision about the one he was to anoint to be king. This anointing was a ceremony done privately between the two of them that indicated God’s will toward the young man. Before Saul departed, Samuel made known to him God’s will that he should be king. He anointed him with a flask of oil and sent him on his way. All that Samuel prophesied came true, and Saul was made king of Israel by lots.

After the Lord rejected Saul as king, Samuel once again sought out a king for Israel, but this time the man (or boy!) wasn’t the towering king-like figure that Saul was. Samuel filled his horn with oil and set off to find David among the sheep: he was a shepherd, the youngest in the family. This king, too, Samuel would anoint for Israel.

In both anointings a remarkable change took place. With the anointing came the Spirit of God, which rushed upon the two kings. This same relationship between the Spirit and oil can be found in many old traditions of Holy Baptism, when historically the one baptized was often also christmated, or anointed with oil.

Infused Cooking Oil

To remember the good works of Samuel and his role in anointing the first kings of Israel, consider preparing some of your own special oil! Infused cooking oil is a simple way to add flavor and aroma to your cooking. While it won’t be used for anointing (like Samuel did), it still serves as a reminder of the work this saint did during the Old Testament times. It’s easy: simply combine olive oil with a selection of herbs and other ingredients to achieve the taste you’re looking for. Our example here is best for Italian cooking, but you might also consider other variations such as chipotle, lavender, or lemon, to name a few.

Ingredients

2 cups olive oil

3 garlic cloves

1 sprig of thyme

1 sprig of oregano

1 sprig of rosemary

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar of your choosing and let sit for three days. Strain out the ingredients, leaving the olive oil, and use as desired in cooking or for dipping bread.